Just so you know
by Thalassina
Summary: Annabeth and Percy are best friends since middle school. While she is dating Luke Castellan, quarterback and most popular guy at Goode High, he is hiding his feelings for her, along with a secret that might end their friendship... But not telling her would be equally bad...
1. Secrets

**A/N: After a few years I found 'Just so you know' by Jesse McCartney on my old MP3 player again (totally forgot about that and don't even know why I have it since I don't really listen to this kind of music) and had the idea to this story.  
I wanted to start writing this for days but never knew how to begin... But after listening to some Eminem songs I got the crazy idea of Percy listening to Eminem and yeah this is how I get my inspiration and ideas xD**

**Sorry for any mistakes, I'm no native speaker. If you find mistakes, please tell me :)**

* * *

Percy didn't know how he started to listen to Eminem. He wasn't all the hip-hop guy, though he liked big hoodies. And caps. Damn, he loved his hoodies.

He was on his way to school, sitting somewhere in the middle of the bus between some kids doing their homework, wearing his earphones and skipping songs. Right now he felt like hitting something and needed to distract himself from the scene in the back of the bus. His ADHD was only making it worse.

_"___Where is my snare? I have no snare on my headphones___"_

Percy increased the volume and moved his foot to the beat of __Cleanin' out my Closet__, listening to the lyrics and getting murderous thoughts himself.

The kid next to him got hit by a paper ball and shot an angry glare at the person who threw it, but when he realized who did he just closed his mouth and went on doing his homework.

Percy knew without looking who intimidated that kid: Luke Castellan, quarterback of the school's football team and most popular guy at Goode High. He was sitting in the last row, holding the hand of a rather cute blonde. Darn, she was more than just cute. She was beautiful.

Her name was Annabeth Chase. She's been friends with Luke since they were kids and dating him since last year's summer holidays.  
Percy "only" knew her since middle school so what chance did he have against Luke? Ever since he could remember Annabeth loved talking about everything they had done as kids. Every time she did he felt jealousy nipping at his heart.

At first Percy's been good friends with Luke and he still kinda was now, there was only one drawback: They both loved the same girl and Luke got her, not knowing about Percy's feelings. Crap, he was even sure he loved her longer than this douchebag did. But there was nothing he could do about it. Annabeth was happy and he didn't want to destroy their friendship by telling her how he felt.

However, he couldn't help feeling like falling every time she laughed. The butterflies in his belly would go crazy and his heart would fasten up so much he'd think it would jump out of his chest every second.

The bus stopped in front of the school and Percy got out, still wearing earphones so he wouldn't have to talk to Luke. Ignoring Annabeth waving at him was pretty difficult, though.

He made his way through crowds of students, skipping songs again until he found one that lifted his mood. He tried not to laugh as he walked through the hallways on his way to English whilst the lyrics made him feel like being one of these guys who thought they were the coolest ever.

_"___I'm Slim Shady, yes I'm the real Shady. All you other Slim Shadys are just imitating. So won't the real Slim Shady please stand up, please stand up, please stand up?___"_

With a small grin on his face he sat down in the classroom and took off his earphones not until the teacher came in, not allowing him to listen to the whole track of __The Real Slim Shady__.

Mr. Paul Blofis nodded at him before beginning class. Not only was he Percy's teacher but also his stepfather, which was a little advantage when it came to his grades on the one hand, but on the other it was a disadvantage, too; when Percy didn't clean up his room for weeks it could affect his oral grades. But usually Paul was able to split personal life from school.

After English (which was the only class where Percy really tried to be good at) he kind of dozed through the day. It was at lunchtime when he finally had all his senses back on because this was the only time in the whole week when he actually could spend time with Annabeth. All the other days Luke would sit with them but on Thursdays he always had some extra training.

They didn't even share classes. Percy used to say it was some kind of conspiracy but Annabeth would just laugh and talk about bad coincidences.

When he entered the cafeteria and searched for her he had to think about the matter which had caused the big quarrel at home that she had asked him about for days now. But telling her would only lower her good mood and that was one of the last things Percy wanted. He knew he had to tell her soon, though. Before she found out by herself and was mad at him for not saying a word to her. Her eyes would turn from their beautiful stormy gray to a dark thunderstorm gray and she would have this look in them, like saying 'And I thought we were best friends'.

Now that he thought about it he decided it was the best to talk to her right now before there weren't any opportunities left.

She was sitting alone at a table on the left. Percy took the seat in front of her and tried to find the right words to start but luckily she was the one to go first.

"You're hiding something from me, I can tell. Is it about that argument with your parents?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

He took in a deep breath before stuttering "Well, y'know, 'bout that, erm... i-it's not like... uhm..."

"Percy" she said sternly, looking him directly in the eyes which let him forget what he actually wanted to say. "You can tell me anything, you know that, right?"

Oh, if that'd be the problem here... Sooner or later many people would find out and that wasn't a big deal to him. Actually, he didn't even care. He just didn't want her to be sad (if she'd even be).

Right when he was about to say something a tray landed on the table next to Annabeth and a girl with spiky black hair and a leather jacket sat down. It was Thalia Grace, one of Annabeth's closest friends.

Frustration hit him. Why now, Thalia? he wanted to scream but he just nodded to her and swallowed his anger and disappointment.

Annabeth shot him a concerned look but he waved it off and managed a smile. She didn't seem convinced but obviously decided to change the topic since she knew he wouldn't say anything about it as long as they weren't alone.

However, Thalia stayed and Percy didn't get another chance of talking to Annabeth. Later that evening he thought of calling her but yet didn't. And that was the worst decision he had ever made.

* * *

**Okay, so this was the first chapter and since school is about to start again on Tuesday here, I can't tell when there will be time for me to update this story. BUT I WILL, I promise! I think it won't be very long anyway so I think I'll be able to manage it :)**

**Please tell me what you think about this and if I made any mistakes _please_ tell me, too!**

**See ya guys next chapter :***


	2. Reasons

**Since there is still some free time remaining before school starts again I can still write more often, so here is chapter 2 :3**

* * *

"YOU ARE MOVING?!"

Percy was currently enjoying his cheeseburger at the cafeteria when her voice made him almost choke on it. She was standing in front of him, hands on her hips and a disbelieving look on her face.

"AT THE WEEKEND?!"

All he was able to do at the moment was stare at her, the burger in his hands, half on its way to his mouth which stood still open.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice got more upset by every word she said and every second in which he didn't.

Percy was finally able to swallow his food and thought 'Oh, shit...'

He could see the hurt in her eyes and before she could say anything more he wildly gestured her to sit down.

Percy cleared his throat and inhaled deeply before he dared to look her in the eyes which he immediately regretted. Guilt fell over him and all he wanted was to turn back time and call her when he had still had the chance to. Now she had found out herself.

"H-how do you know?" he stuttered and she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Paul said us goodbye."

Oh, no... Why hadn't he thought about this earlier? His step-dad was her sports teacher and of course he would tell his students that he would leave.

"Look, Annabeth..." he began, "I actually DID want to tell you -"

"And why didn't you do it?"

"I-I... erm... it's a bit complicated, you see..."

She only raised an eyebrow at this. "Complicated, huh? YOU have something complicated going on in your mind?"

Ouch, that had been mean. He wasn't such a good student like her and normally they didn't lose a word about it, so Percy knew she was really upset now. He gulped. "Please let me explain -" he started but got interrupted when Luke showed up.

Annabeth turned to her boyfriend after he sat down. "Did you know Percy is moving tomorrow?"

Luke frowned at him. "You are what?"

Annabeth looked confused for a moment for why Luke didn't know either.

"Yeah, I'm moving to San Francisco," Percy said. "My mom got a great job there."

"Since when do you know?" Annabeth asked, her arms still crossed.

"Erm... You remember the argument I've had with my parents?" He ducked his head at the sight of her connecting the dots.

"Percy, that's two weeks ago! Why wouldn't you tell me? I thought we were friends!" Ah, there it was.

"Best friends, in fact" he said. "And would you please let me explain?"

"Go for it, Seaweedbrain." She leaned back and watched him expectantly.

Luke was still frowning at him and he wished he would just leave. How should he tell Annabeth the real reason he didn't tell her was because he wanted her to be happy because he loved her? In front of her boyfriend?! Maybe there even was another reason. Maybe when he kept the distance his feelings would go away, maybe leaving her would be the best for both of them. But how was he supposed to say this?

Percy didn't know how long they just kept sitting there staring at each other until he found the nerve to say: "I'm sorry, Annabeth, but I can't tell you." He stood up, leaving his friend (the cheeseburger) with the girl of his dreams and her boyfriend, aware of the fact that he would probably never see them again.

He didn't know how he got home. Well, by bus, obviously, but he's been in a dazed state, sort of. Right after he had left the cafeteria it had hit him. The past two weeks he had tried not to think about leaving Annabeth and that he would try to see her again very soon, somehow. But now it all came crashing down on him. Memories flipped through his head. Everywhere he went he saw younger versions of Annabeth and himself, sitting under the branches of the big willow tree, walking down the school hallways fighting over something ridiculous, watching a movie on his mom's couch, ...  
They had seen each other crying, they had been through everything, they knew each others secrets and there was no other person Percy trusted more. Yet, he couldn't stop feeling this way for her.

When he came home everything he wanted was to lock himself up in his room and watch the first movie the two of them had seen together, but his mother had other plans. So his last day in New York he was packing up remaining things and heaving packing cases into a big truck.

"Did you say goodbye to your friends?" Sally Jackson asked her son after everything was done. They would sleep this night in sleeping bags and wear sweatpants next day so they only had a big bag left with things they'd need until tomorrow.

Percy nodded. His best guy friend Grover was the only one he had told about the moving, before Grover had moved himself to Canada. They were now living in some trailer park to keep connected with the nature or whatsoever.

He had sent Luke a text message in which he said goodbye and excused for not telling him, though most of it was drivel.

There was only one person left.

"Mom, I've gotta do something, erm, very important. I'll be in my room, but please do not disturb me."

Sally only lifted one eyebrow as she watched her son running up the stairs to his room.

Percy took out a writing block and a pen, sat down at the wall and started writing.

* * *

Annabeth couldn't believe it. Her best friend didn't tell her that he would leave. She just didn't understand it! She had thought they could trust each other. Why didn't he talk to her?

"Hey, are you okay?" She turned her head towards her boyfriend who was looking at her worried.

"Of course I'm okay," she snapped. "My best friend will only leave tomorrow and didn't tell me about it. I might even not see him again, oh yeah, I am very much okay!" Wow, she thought. Percy's sarcasm was sinking through.

Luke scowled. "I don't get why he didn't say a word, not even to you. I mean, aren't you guys telling each other _everything_?"

She shrugged. "Thought so, too..."

He hugged her and she nestled her head onto his chest. She knew he was trying to comfort her and, being her boyfriend, it must have been helping, but still... When Percy had seen her crying he would timidly pull her closer, say reassuring things (well, he was at least trying to) and sometimes even hum a lullaby until she fell asleep. He would always make her feel better. What was she supposed to do without him?

If she hadn't been with Luke that night she would have come over to Percy's to see him one last time before he left. But she didn't.

And when she got the letter the next day she wished she would have done it.


	3. The letter

**Today school is starting again so this might be the last update 'til next weekend, but maybe I can still manage to write something...**

**But for now, enjoy this brandnew chapter! :)**

* * *

Annabeth was crying and she wished Percy was here. But not only because of that.

She had left Luke's house early in the morning and ran as fast as she could, hoping they hadn't left yet. But she's been too late. Right as she turned around the corner she saw Paul's car driving away. Annabeth stood there for what felt like an hour before she headed home.

The mailman was just arriving when she came home and gave her the mail instead of putting it into the mail slot. She thanked him and opened the door.

There were a bunch of letters for her dad, lots of advertising - and a letter for __her__.

She layed her dad's mail onto a desk, put the adds into the bin and while opening hers she climbed the stairs up to her room. She sat down on her bed and took the piece of paper out, immediately recognizing the messy handwriting.

She began to read - and with each word more tears filled her eyes until she wasn't able to hold them anymore.

Now she was laying on her bed, crying, the letter still in her hand. She had read it multiple times and still couldn't believe how she hadn't seen it... All those years it had been right in front of her and yet she's been too blind...

She wanted to tear the paper apart, wanted to kick her own butt, __she wanted her best friend back__. But would their relationship still be the same now that she knew?

With trembling hands she read it again...

__This goes to my Wisegirl.__

__I am so sorry. For everything. And I just don't know how to start explaining why I acted like that... I really am a seaweed brain.__

__...__

__Okay, I've been sitting here and trying to find the right words for maybe thirty minutes now...__

__Remember the song you used to like when we first met? Now that I think about it, the lyrics do fit perfectly. It's "Just so you know" by Jesse McCartney. (I can already see the smile on your lips as the memory comes back to you.)__

__You know, there is something I wasn't able to tell you all these years and now that I'm gone I regret not having told you about it. But I didn't want to destroy our friendship... And then you and Luke became a couple...__

__However, this is how I feel about you:__

__"I shouldn't love you  
but I want to.  
I just can't turn away  
I shouldn't see you  
but I can't move.  
I can't look away."__

__(See, another reason why I haven't told you about me moving to Frisco is that I somehow had the silly idea that the distance would make it easier to forget about you...)__

__"And I don't know  
how to be fine when I'm not  
'cause I don't know  
how to make a feeling stop."__

__(It was a silly idea, indeed. Because the more I kept the distance the worse it became; I even wanted to be with you more than ever.)__

__"Just so you know  
this feeling's taking control of me  
and I can't help it.  
I won't sit around,  
I can't let him win now!  
I thought you should know  
I tried my best to let go of you  
but I don't want to.  
I just gotta say it all before I go.  
Just so you know."__

__(At first I really liked Luke. I thought he was a pretty cool guy despite all his popularity issues. But all of a sudden he wanted more from you than only friendship... And at that point I was just about to tell you how I feel. On the one hand it annoys me that I wasn't fast enough because he got you instead. But on the other hand I'm glad about that. I only would have embarrassed myself 'cause you didn't feel the same about me. After you two started dating I really wanted to forget these feelings but they keep sticking like glue...)__

__"It's getting hard to be around you,  
there's so much I can't say.  
Do you want me to hide the feelings  
and look the other way"__

__(Do you remember last fall when I bought you that book you wanted so much but didn't have the money for? I said it was a gift out of true friendship. However, it wasn't just that. There was this moment when you looked me in the eyes for a couple of seconds and I thought, NOW TELL HER, but I couldn't. I am a yellow-belly.)__

__"This emptiness is killin' me  
and I'm wonderin' why I've waited so long.  
Lookin' back I realize  
it was always there but never spoken."__

__(Okay, I admit it: I was fond of you from the very first second. Thinking back, I now see it. Every second I would spend with you I had this very special feeling but never got what it meant. I always thought it was 'cause we were best friends...)__

__"I'm waitin' here.  
Been waitin' here..."__

__I don't know what you're thinking about me now. I don't know if we can ever be best friends again. And I really hope this doesn't change your mind about your relationship with Luke. I don't approve of it but not because I don't think it could make you happy.__

__You don't have to do something out of pity for me. I will be okay, somehow. The one thing I want is you to be happy.__

__Maybe we will meet again some time. (I hope so.)__

__With love,__

__Percy (your seaweed brain forever)__

Annabeth sighed heavily. How could she not have seen it? Now that she thought about it again she remembered the looks he had given her and the smiles that had appeared on his face when they'd spent time together.

After wiping the tears off her face she grabbed her phone and dialed his number.

It rang. And rang. And rang.

After approximately two long minutes she gave up. Perhaps now wasn't the right time, anyway.

However, she made herself a promise: She would NOT lose Percy. She would NOT give him up, no matter what!

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**Some of you guys might already now the song but for those who don't, copy this behind the main YouTube link: **/watch?v=b3N0Sf2c22c** (FF would otherwise block it)**

**See ya guys next chapter! (Hopefully soon) :D**


	4. The call

**Heey guys, I'm back :D Fortunately I am able to update so soon but I don't think it will work for the rest of the week. Next weekend you will get the next chapter, as the situation seems now.**

**And I wanna thank you guys for reading this and would like to ask you for some reviews since I don't get so many. I wanna know what you think of my work and if you have something to complain about (feel free to criticize me but please no offense!). When you tell me about your opinion this story can only approve from it!**

**That's for now. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Eight months.

Eight months had passed until Percy was on his way to New York. To Annabeth.

The snow outside was glittering in the sun and everytime they made a break on a highway rest stop and got out of the car their breaths formed clouds of warm air in front of their mouths. They wanted to stay over Christmas at his step-granny's house until early January.

Time to face it, Percy thought. It's been a long time. In the past months Annabeth and he had stayed in contact. They texted a lot and from time to time called for hours, sometimes even all night long until one of their parents found out and made an end to it.

Percy would like to say that the progress of getting over the girl was going well, but that'd be a lie. He just couldn't help but smile like an idiot everytime he received a message from her and after some time the personalized vibration of his phone sent out some kind of excited quiver through his body.

After about three months he was currently home alone, bored and switching through TV channels when he heard a muffled sound coming from somewhere around him. He listened carefully. That sound... It was very familiar. If it only was a little louder...

He somehow managed to get up from the couch and started searching the room. The source didn't come from the cupboard - and by the way, why wasn't the telephone on its charging station? It took him a second for the information to sink in. __The telephone! __Percy remembered throwing it somewhere onto the couch after he'd ordered a pizza and with two steps he made it to the heap of blankets and pulled out the blue phone with its black buttons that was still ringing.

"Hello?" he blurted out.

"Percy?" The voice was very quiet and definitely a girl's. He'd recognize this voice everywhere and under every condition.

"Hey, Annabeth. Sup?" Was that a sob? He furrowed his brows. "Are you... alright?" Luckily, he was smart enough not to mention the sob he thought he'd heard.

"Something happened." She was definitely crying. "And I could need a friend to talk to right now." A friend. There was an aching in his chest, like an enlarging bubble of acid pressing against his ribcage, almost about to explode, but he tried to ignore it. Without success. She was crying and he was too far away to hold her, let alone the fact that she just called him a friend and consequently that stupid love sickness came back. Why, for the sake of all gods, was it so difficult for him to forget this?

"Tell me."

"I broke up with Luke." It was only a whisper but at the same time as clearly to understand as possible. Percy couldn't avoid a smile and he hated himself for that.

"What happened?" He didn't know how he made his voice sound so calm while he was mentally running and jumping through the house with his hands thrown above his head. Percy, stop it, she's sad! Imaginary-Percy pulled himself together and got serious again.

She took in a deep breath. "I don't know... I thought I really like him and as a matter of fact I do but simultaneously it seems that I don't. Do you get what I mean?"

"Um, no, actually. You like him but you do not?"

"Yes, no, I do! He's amazing. But I guess it wasn't... How do I explain this? I guess it wasn't __love__. I only thought that I loved him. Or did I love him but not enough? I dunno, for Athena's sake!"

"So... Let me get this straight. You do like Luke."

"Yes."

"And you thought you loved him but now realized it was - what? A crush that's over?" She thought about that for a minute.

"Right. I guess..."

Frustration hit him. Hell, why not half a year ago?

"How did you find out?" Hold on a minute... She always thought Luke was her true love, the one she was supposed to be with from the beginning. Was it okay to hope again?

"I think I just couldn't stop thinking of this other guy..." Oh.

"Oh, really? And you think you like him more than Luke?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Aaaand there went the hope, right down the hill.

"You should stick to him. He's probably Mr. Right." Why on earth was he saying this? ... Oh, right. Happy Annabeth.

"I will. But lets talk about you - how's Rachel?"

"Still keeps asking me to go with her to Leo's party."

"Why don't you just say yes, seaweed brain? It seems like that girl likes you. Or... Or are you still not... y'know, over me?" No, Annabeth, he wanted to say. I keep trying but I just can't forget you!

But instead he said "Oh, erm... Yeah, well, no. I- I mean I'm over you. Yeah." Heck, why did he have to stutter?

"You sure about that? You don't sound like-"

"No, really," he interrupted her. "I'm okay now. You're my friend." Part of that was even true.

"If that is so, you should go on a date. Call Rachel!"

Maybe he should. Annabeth wasn't with Luke anymore, which was good, but she was into some other guy now and he lost again. He felt the urge to kick something, he wanted to grab his love sickness and tear it apart. Probably a distraction was what he needed. So he decided to tell Rachel he'd go with her to that party.

* * *

The first skyscrapers appeared on the horizon by the time the sun was going down and the first stars blinked on the firmament.

Percy was all so caught up in his memories that he didn't even notice. He merely saw it and somehow the sight made its way into his mind and brought back the evening of the party he actually had gone to with Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

It had been a starry night. He remembered loud music and teens dancing around, holding cups of drinks. Rachel wore a green dress and matching high heels, her hair was braided and held together with a big golden hair clip. Percy had to admit that she was kinda pretty. But again he couldn't stop comparing her to Annabeth which sort of annoyed him.

The whole evening they talked to people, had some drinks, talked to more people and had even more drinks. And not a single time they were alone with each other. Percy was glad about that since she used to stand so close to him that he already would have been able to count the freckles on her nose if he had wanted to. But that meant accepting the proximity and maybe even giving her the affirmation that he actually wanted to be that close to her. Which he didn't. And being alone with her would only let her think she could do something stupid. Which he didn't want either. Of course.

But the fates seemed to hate him. It was close to midnight when Leo - or rather his drunken self - wanted to slide down the banister, naked. So nearly everyone left the living room until there were only a few people left but they were all absorbed in eating each others mouths and doing other things - Percy was thankful for the dim lights. One of these people were Jason and Piper but they were just dancing to a slow song he realized was now playing. He mustered the courage to glance over to Rachel, only for seeing her glancing back.

"Soo..." she mumbled, apparently with an amount of alcohol in her blood that she wasn't used to. Percy himself felt not really better, though. He'd stopped counting the drinks after the fourth one and the one thing he knew was that he's had too much to think clearly. When he now was thinking back he couldn't say if he only persuaded himself or if his brain's ability to think properly was really that fuzzy.

"Soo..." he imitated her and flinched a bit when she wrapped her arms around his neck, standing even closer to him than before. He didn't really notice they were dancing until she had to bring it up.

"You're not such a bad dancer as you said you were." He frowned.

"What're ya doin'?"

"I wanna distract you."

"From what?"

"I know you have a crush on this friend of yours." Wait, what? He must have looked confused because she smirked at his expression. "The way you talk about her. The way you talk _to_ her. I've overheard some of your calls when we were at school. Girls know. Don't ask how, they just do." He was still suspicious.

"Or she just called you and told you to do this 'cause she knows I'm not over her yet."

"Nope. She didn't. I swear!" Percy knew she was serious. Rachel didn't swear often but when she did she meant it. "Now let me distract you, Percy Jackson..."

She slowly leaned in and at first Percy wanted to push back. But at second thought he was the one who wanted the distraction. And maybe it could actually help.

So he accepted her lips meeting his and for once he actually managed to forget Annabeth for a while.


	5. Changes

**Heey guys, I'm back :D Fortunately I am able to update so soon but I don't think it will work for the rest of the week. Next weekend you will get the next chapter, as the situation seems now.**

**And I wanna thank you guys for reading this and would like to ask you for some reviews since I don't get so many. I wanna know what you think of my work and if you have something to complain about (feel free to criticize me but please no offense!). When you tell me about your opinion this story can only approve from it!**

**That's for now. Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Eight months.

Eight months had passed until Percy was on his way to New York. To Annabeth.

The snow outside was glittering in the sun and everytime they made a break on a highway rest stop and got out of the car their breaths formed clouds of warm air in front of their mouths. They wanted to stay over Christmas at his step-granny's house until early January.

Time to face it, Percy thought. It's been a long time. In the past months Annabeth and he had stayed in contact. They texted a lot and from time to time called for hours, sometimes even all night long until one of their parents found out and made an end to it.

Percy would like to say that the progress of getting over the girl was going well, but that'd be a lie. He just couldn't help but smile like an idiot everytime he received a message from her and after some time the personalized vibration of his phone sent out some kind of excited quiver through his body.

After about three months he was currently home alone, bored and switching through TV channels when he heard a muffled sound coming from somewhere around him. He listened carefully. That sound... It was very familiar. If it only was a little louder...

He somehow managed to get up from the couch and started searching the room. The source didn't come from the cupboard - and by the way, why wasn't the telephone on its charging station? It took him a second for the information to sink in. __The telephone! __Percy remembered throwing it somewhere onto the couch after he'd ordered a pizza and with two steps he made it to the heap of blankets and pulled out the blue phone with its black buttons that was still ringing.

"Hello?" he blurted out.

"Percy?" The voice was very quiet and definitely a girl's. He'd recognize this voice everywhere and under every condition.

"Hey, Annabeth. Sup?" Was that a sob? He furrowed his brows. "Are you... alright?" Luckily, he was smart enough not to mention the sob he thought he'd heard.

"Something happened." She was definitely crying. "And I could need a friend to talk to right now." A friend. There was an aching in his chest, like an enlarging bubble of acid pressing against his ribcage, almost about to explode, but he tried to ignore it. Without success. She was crying and he was too far away to hold her, let alone the fact that she just called him a friend and consequently that stupid love sickness came back. Why, for the sake of all gods, was it so difficult for him to forget this?

"Tell me."

"I broke up with Luke." It was only a whisper but at the same time as clearly to understand as possible. Percy couldn't avoid a smile and he hated himself for that.

"What happened?" He didn't know how he made his voice sound so calm while he was mentally running and jumping through the house with his hands thrown above his head. Percy, stop it, she's sad! Imaginary-Percy pulled himself together and got serious again.

She took in a deep breath. "I don't know... I thought I really like him and as a matter of fact I do but simultaneously it seems that I don't. Do you get what I mean?"

"Um, no, actually. You like him but you do not?"

"Yes, no, I do! He's amazing. But I guess it wasn't... How do I explain this? I guess it wasn't __love__. I only thought that I loved him. Or did I love him but not enough? I dunno, for Athena's sake!"

"So... Let me get this straight. You do like Luke."

"Yes."

"And you thought you loved him but now realized it was - what? A crush that's over?" She thought about that for a minute.

"Right. I guess..."

Frustration hit him. Hell, why not half a year ago?

"How did you find out?" Hold on a minute... She always thought Luke was her true love, the one she was supposed to be with from the beginning. Was it okay to hope again?

"I think I just couldn't stop thinking of this other guy..." Oh.

"Oh, really? And you think you like him more than Luke?"

"I don't know. Maybe." Aaaand there went the hope, right down the hill.

"You should stick to him. He's probably Mr. Right." Why on earth was he saying this? ... Oh, right. Happy Annabeth.

"I will. But lets talk about you - how's Rachel?"

"Still keeps asking me to go with her to Leo's party."

"Why don't you just say yes, seaweed brain? It seems like that girl likes you. Or... Or are you still not... y'know, over me?" No, Annabeth, he wanted to say. I keep trying but I just can't forget you!

But instead he said "Oh, erm... Yeah, well, no. I- I mean I'm over you. Yeah." Heck, why did he have to stutter?

"You sure about that? You don't sound like-"

"No, really," he interrupted her. "I'm okay now. You're my friend." Part of that was even true.

"If that is so, you should go on a date. Call Rachel!"

Maybe he should. Annabeth wasn't with Luke anymore, which was good, but she was into some other guy now and he lost again. He felt the urge to kick something, he wanted to grab his love sickness and tear it apart. Probably a distraction was what he needed. So he decided to tell Rachel he'd go with her to that party.

* * *

The first skyscrapers appeared on the horizon by the time the sun was going down and the first stars blinked on the firmament.

Percy was all so caught up in his memories that he didn't even notice. He merely saw it and somehow the sight made its way into his mind and brought back the evening of the party he actually had gone to with Rachel Elizabeth Dare.

It had been a starry night. He remembered loud music and teens dancing around, holding cups of drinks. Rachel wore a green dress and matching high heels, her hair was braided and held together with a big golden hair clip. Percy had to admit that she was kinda pretty. But again he couldn't stop comparing her to Annabeth which sort of annoyed him.

The whole evening they talked to people, had some drinks, talked to more people and had even more drinks. And not a single time they were alone with each other. Percy was glad about that since she used to stand so close to him that he already would have been able to count the freckles on her nose if he had wanted to. But that meant accepting the proximity and maybe even giving her the affirmation that he actually wanted to be that close to her. Which he didn't. And being alone with her would only let her think she could do something stupid. Which he didn't want either. Of course.

But the fates seemed to hate him. It was close to midnight when Leo - or rather his drunken self - wanted to slide down the banister, naked. So nearly everyone left the living room until there were only a few people left but they were all absorbed in eating each others mouths and doing other things - Percy was thankful for the dim lights. One of these people were Jason and Piper but they were just dancing to a slow song he realized was now playing. He mustered the courage to glance over to Rachel, only for seeing her glancing back.

"Soo..." she mumbled, apparently with an amount of alcohol in her blood that she wasn't used to. Percy himself felt not really better, though. He'd stopped counting the drinks after the fourth one and the one thing he knew was that he's had too much to think clearly. When he now was thinking back he couldn't say if he only persuaded himself or if his brain's ability to think properly was really that fuzzy.

"Soo..." he imitated her and flinched a bit when she wrapped her arms around his neck, standing even closer to him than before. He didn't really notice they were dancing until she had to bring it up.

"You're not such a bad dancer as you said you were." He frowned.

"What're ya doin'?"

"I wanna distract you."

"From what?"

"I know you have a crush on this friend of yours." Wait, what? He must have looked confused because she smirked at his expression. "The way you talk about her. The way you talk _to_ her. I've overheard some of your calls when we were at school. Girls know. Don't ask how, they just do." He was still suspicious.

"Or she just called you and told you to do this 'cause she knows I'm not over her yet."

"Nope. She didn't. I swear!" Percy knew she was serious. Rachel didn't swear often but when she did she meant it. "Now let me distract you, Percy Jackson..."

She slowly leaned in and at first Percy wanted to push back. But at second thought he was the one who wanted the distraction. And maybe it could actually help.

So he accepted her lips meeting his and for once he actually managed to forget Annabeth for a while.


	6. Reunion

**I KNOW I KNOW I haven't updated for two weeks and you can hate me for that. School is killing me and I can already say that I don't know how many times I can post a new chapter within the next four weeks. And I know my chapters aren't long but since English isn't my native language it takes me a bit longer to write something worth posting.**

* * *

Percy glanced at the clock. It was 10pm and he was sitting here and listening to some Christmas stories from when his stepfather was his age. He'd rather go out and maybe meet some people. No one in particular, of course. But maybe, just maybe, he would somehow end up near Annabeth's house and then he could as well go for a visit. It's not like he'd care, though. He was over her. Since Rachel had kissed him he was living in another universe where feelings for Annabeth were all about friendship.

The morning after that party Rachel had asked him where they stood now. The way her voice was sounding so hopeful and the looks she was giving him, big puppy eyes determined to not go until she got her answer made it obvious what she wanted to hear. But as much as Percy was trying, when the effect of alcohol was fading and he was looking into the girl's eyes he couldn't concentrate on her. All he could think of was how it would have been if Rachel was Annabeth. How it would have felt to kiss her, to get looked at by her like Rachel did now.

So he had sighed and cocked his head at the floor. "Look", he'd said, "I do like you." He could literally feel her smile vanishing. "I'm not good at this feelings stuff. But all I do know now is that I don't think I can do... this." He gestured to nothing in particular.

Rachel had studied his face with sad but knowing eyes. "It's still her, isn't it?" Percy had nodded and this was one of the most uncomfortable talks he's ever had. He knew he was hurting her feelings. But he couldn't stop his mind throwing images of Annabeth at him and setting her voice into his ears like some catchy song.

Albeit now, after these months spending time with Rachel he could say that the amount of times his thoughts flicked to Annabeth was becoming less– oh, who was he kidding. He was still crushing on her, if not even more than that. When do you know it's more? When do you know you are in love with somebody? He wanted to know, he __needed __to know.

"...looks like he's bored," his mom's voice was disrupting his thoughts. "Percy probably wants to go see his old friends."

Paul's mother raised her eyebrows before saying "Why does he need to go tonight? He's got plenty of time left before you'll go back."

Sally shook her head. "It's been eight months. I'm pretty sure there are certain... people he wants to see again." Percy wondered if she knew. But she was his mom, it was her job. Plus, she wouldn't dare to confront him with that.

"Go. We'll see you in the morning," Paul said and got a shrug from his mother. Percy didn't care what she was thinking. He liked her, no doubt, but right now he had the permission to leave, so he did.

Heading towards Annabeth's house he thought about all the times he was imagining their reunion. In some of them she cried, in most of them she kissed him. But never did he imagine it going like this.

He was half on his way when he came by the Stoll brother's house. Loud music was coming out and so did some drunken sophomore girls from his old school. With them was Travis Stoll, his arm around the shoulders of a girl Percy remembered being the daughter of a gardener, Katie whatsoever.

"Yo, Perce!" he babbled. "Is that you? Nice to see ya, feel free to join the parteeey!" And with that he was gone around the corner, the girls running after him.

Percy actually didn't want to go inside, he wanted to see Annabeth. He was about to go when he suddenly heard a too familiar laugh and stopped right in his tracks. __She was here.__ Without thinking twice he practically flew up the steps to the door and entered the hallway.

She was leaning at a door frame, cup in her hand, tottering when she took a step forwards, talking to a friend of hers. Percy was unable to move, despite his ADHD. He was stunned by the sight of her, as beautiful as he remembered her, golden curls, tanned skin, slim figure. When she lifted her face and set eyes on him he forgot how to breath. Her eyes were as stormy gray as always. Hell, he was so not over her.

The song was changing and an Eminem song was playing. _"___Guess who's back, back again. Shady's back, tell a friend. Guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back, guess who's back..."__ Yeah, guess who's back, wisegirl.

Percy found the ability to use his legs again and a few seconds later he was standing in front of her and her grin was heart-melting. "Percy!" She hugged him tightly and nearly squeezed his lungs but he didn't even notice and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing back. He could tell she'd had many drinks already and that was something the Annabeth he knew normally didn't do.

"Why're ya here?", she asked, frowning as if her tongue wouldn't want the same thing as her.

"Paul is visiting his mother over Christmas and we're going to stay a while."

"Soun's niicee, why didn' ya call me?" She poked a finger to his chest.

"I wanted to surprise you."

"Coool." She frowned again. "How's Rachel?"

"Fine, I guess... Like my other friends. How are you?"

"Very much fine." Her grin widened. "He's here."

Now it was his time to frown. "Who?"

She got closer, whispering in his ear. "Him. The guy I like." Oh.

"The boy you think you have feelings for which you discovered while still being with Luke?" She nodded her head eagerly. "So, er..." he tried to sound casually, "can you tell me who he is?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Dunno if he'd like dat." She emptied her cup and shook her head frantically by the taste of its content.

"Why wouldn't he? He doesn't know, right? So it can't be embarrassing." She was rocking on her feet and stumbled. Percy caught her and held her arms, preventing her from falling. "Come on wisegirl, it's only 10:30 and you're already drunk. You should go home." She didn't seem to mind.

"If you bring me." He was okay with that. Like, very okay.

So they left. She had hooked one arm through his to avoid falling and even through his winter coat his skin tickled from her touch. Most of the way she was asking him questions about his relationship with Rachel. He'd told her about the kiss and she'd tried to urge him to take the next step. When he didn't she always said he was a coward but he wondered where that delighted note in her voice was coming from. Most likely from the alcohol...

When they arrived at her house she turned to face him. "If this was a cliché movie you'd have to kiss me now." She looked him in the eyes and for a second or two he really considered kissing her but before he could make any stupid move she turned on her heels, fumbled with her keys and opened the door. "But it's life and we're friends, right? And I've had too many drinks."

However, she hugged him one last time and stumbled over the threshold, giggling over something Percy didn't get. He frowned. "Are you sure you're okay or should I maybe come in and help you?"

"Help me with what?" She turned crimson. "I can shower myself!"

Percy felt the heat rising to his cheeks. "That's not what I meant!"

Inside, a light switched on and Annabeth's father showed up at the door, his face lighting up when he saw him. "Ah, hello Percy, it's been a while. Great to see you!"

"Great to see you, too, Sir."

"Annabeth, why are you back so early?" She giggled again and her father narrowed his eyes. "How much did you have?" She shrugged and winked at Percy.

"G'night, seaweed brain."

"Goodnight, wisegirl." He smiled at her cheery face but when she finally turned to go inside he was almost sure he saw her face fall as soon as she thought he and her dad weren't looking.

* * *

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The slightly glowing numbers on his clock were saying 1:48 am and Percy was still wide awake. He just couldn't forget how out of character Annabeth had been tonight. She actually hated drinking, she hated losing control over herself. She didn't even insult him once. Something was going on with her, he knew there was something that was bothering her. It was like she's been a whole other person. And what was that wink about she gave him when saying goodnight? Annabeth never winked.

He couldn't forget how her happy expression had fallen when she'd turned away. Worried about her he didn't think twice, grabbed his phone and dialed her number. It rang about ten times but she didn't answer. What would he have said anyway? Maybe she'd even been okay with going home early because she didn't want to see him. Maybe she acted drunk so she had an excuse for behaving so out of character.

He'd ask her tomorrow what was going on. He knew her, so when she would act like she didn't wanna talk to him he would... what, go? Could he even?  
Okay, he admitted, he was beyond confused. His mind was going crazy. He didn't know anymore- __go to sleep, Perseus Jackson!__

He rolled over in his bed and closed his eyes.

Why did she have to confuse him so much?

It was the last thing that haunted his mind before he finally was able to fall asleep.


	7. Blaze

**FINALLY DONE WITH MY PROJECT FOR SCHOOL! I am so happy xD Now I can write again *-* And I personally really like this chapter (although I know I could have done better but I think that everytime xD I just hope that it didn't end up being too implausible. And I hope I didn't make any big mistakes, after all I'm still no native English speaker...) :D**

**Enjoy :3**

* * *

Annabeth woke up with a throbbing pain behind her temples, and she already knew where it came from. The last months her partying had become comparable to the nasty habit of Travis and Connor Stoll and their best friends Pollux and Dakota to experiment with alcohol and how much they could drink before they passed out.

It wasn't much like her to exaggerate like that or to even drink alcohol at all since she was a fan of her brain when it was all sober. But albeit she wouldn't admit it she'd had a rough time. She still had to write three essays until next week and she just couldn't concentrate with her disability to NOT think about Percy Jackson. Every time she was reading some article referring to her essay's topic her mind almost automatically switched to imagining Percy's face while watching her study. That one time she'd caught him staring at her when she was doing her homework - it's been a week since she remembered that and from that second she had to think about it from time to time when she was missing him. Which was nearly all the time.

Thinking about that expression of his was replacing the butterflies in her stomach with bumblebees. How did she fall in love with someone so deeply? Yes, she knew it was love. Or she thought to know. Being with Luke had already been stunning but this was even stronger. At first she'd told herself it would go away very soon but after some time she'd given up on that idea. It was silly, he was her best friend and she was even giving him tips for asking out a girl that wasn't her.

In a moment of horrifying recollection the last night came back.

"Oh, no..." She covered her face with her hands and sank back in her pillow. _He'd been there_. And she'd been drunk. Did she really say those things about him kissing her?

She sighed deeply. Never ever was she going to come out of her room again if that meant any kind of facing him or her dad who was probably thinking his part. How much had he seen or heard? She only remembered him suddenly being there with them while she was babbling about... those things.

She'd messed everything up. How was she ever going to talk to him again?

Groaning, she turned over and grabbed her phone. The light of its display was blinding, only making her headache become worse.

__1 missed call  
1:55 AM  
From: seaweed brain__

Her heart fell. He'd called her.

For what felt like hours she stared at the info. Why did he call her? Should she call him back? It was past noon so he was most likely up now. But maybe it'd annoy him. Maybe he called her by accident. If it had been important he would call again.

It was hard but at last she managed to get out of bed, took an Aspirin and a shower since her dad didn't let her take one last night.

When she finally came down the stairs she was relieved when she discovered she was all alone at home and read the note her dad had left her on the table: __Going to the super market. There's some tomato soup for you. Remember to be careful with the broken toaster!__

Annabeth put a bowl of soup into the microwave oven and had a look at the toaster. Its cable was almost broken, you could already see the copper wire and sparks were flying when it was in use.

She put a slice of bread in it and pushed down the lever. Her bladder was making her dance around so she ran for the toilet.

And she didn't remember the broken toaster.

* * *

It was about 2 PM when Percy decided to take another try. He wanted to talk to the real Annabeth, not the Annabeth with a too high level of alcohol in her blood.

He took out his phone and dialed her number, pressing it to his ear, his heart beating as fast as every time he did this, aroused to hear her voice.

But again, she didn't answer.

There were a few possibilities of why. Maybe she was still sleeping (which would be pretty much out of character for her, but after what he'd seen last night he wasn't so sure about that).  
Maybe her phone wasn't in the same room with her.  
Maybe she merely didn't notice that she was getting a call.  
Maybe she just didn't want to talk to him...

OKAY. Time to face it: Percy wasn't sure whether she wanted to deal with him or not. BUT. He was sure about what __he __wanted.

So often he'd been thinking about telling her. Telling her that he just wasn't able to forget her. Even if that meant that she didn't want him to be her friend anymore because it'd be awkward for her.

He couldn't stand it any longer since it was like lying to her and he... he just... he just couldn't.

Although he didn't even listen to Eminem that much anymore, some of his song's lyrics were still following him around. Now it was only one line and it wasn't even Eminem himself whose line it was - "__It's a beautiful kind of pain"__ from the song _Beautiful_. And it fitted the situation: It was painful to know the girl he loved didn't love him back but every time he was merely seeing her filled his heart with warmth.

Percy sneaked out of the flat with his family busy cleaning it for tomorrow and ran down the streets to her house.

By the time he was almost there he heard the sound of sirens in the distance, increasing every second until they rushed past him around the corner - and stopped.

He hurried up and when he turned around the corner he stopped right in his tracks.

Her house was on fire.

"Annabeth!", he screamed as loud as possible, searching the crowd in front of the house for her, until one of the firemen came over and told him that she had been the one calling them and that she was still in there.

Percy went pale as the man ran back to the firetruck to help his colleagues. He couldn't move. She was in there. Maybe trapped in a corner, not able to get out.

Without thinking again he pushed through the people around and dashed into the ablaze building.

As soon as he was inside the adrenalin was gone. The heat was overwhelming and the smoke made it almost impossible to see anything and made him choke.

He was as glad as never before about the sleepovers when they've been younger when they were playing hide and seek at night when her parents were gone.

"Annabeth!", shouted. "Where are you?"

Trying not to think the worst he made his way from one room to another. He didn't lose a thought about what the firemen where doing, all he could think about was her and breathing and, what was most important, her breathing.

The living room was empty. Smoke was making his eyes and lungs burn almost as fiercely as the fire itself. His panic rose. A flame almost caught his cloak so he took it off and didn't mind losing it to the deadly red and orange all around him.

"Annabeth! ANNABETH! ANNABE-" Was that a voice? He tried to listen but he couldn't stand still so he just rushed off to where he thought the sound was coming from.

When he reached the bathroom it was certain: It was her voice. She was in there.

"Help!" he heard her crying. "I'm in here! I can't get out! Help, somebody!" She was sobbing now and Percy kicked in the door, for once glad about his ADHD.

She was standing in a corner, already surrounded by flames, her arms around herself. By the sight of him she was sobbing even more. In no time he was grabbing her and turning back.

Later, he couldn't remember how they got out of the house. Everything was covered in red and orange colors and lots of smoke was filling the air.

Outside of the house the cold air immediately send shivers down his spine but he didn't even notice.

The ambulance was there. Somebody called his parents. Annabeth's dad was there. People were watching. Everything was blurry.

Percy remembered holding Annabeth in his arms, not ready to let her go until he knew she was okay.

Then everything went black.


	8. Cinder

The first thing Percy did when he woke was ask for Annabeth and his mom.

His voice sounded strange in his own ears and when he moved his head he recognized why. A curious machine sent oxygen into his nose which felt very uncomfortable and he felt the urge to rip out the needles.

A nurse was currently sitting in front of a computer, her fingers were hitting the letters on a keyboard so fast his still blurry vision made it look like a tangle of skin colored snakes.  
When she heard him speak she looked up and smiled.

"Good morning, Percy," she said and he frowned.

"Morning? How long..." His gaze fell on a huge clock on the other side of the room. It was 8 in the morning.

"You mom is waiting outside. Do you want me to call her?"

"Yes, please," he answered, still confused. "And what about Annabeth?"

"Oh, that girl that came with you? I will ask the doctor."

Not long after she had left the room the door opened again and Sally Jackson came in with a worried smile on her tired-looking face and sat down on a chair next to him.

"Oh Perseus Jackson, that was the dumbest and yet bravest thing you've ever done! But please don't scare the heck out of me next time, okay?"

He grinned and nodded. "Promise. How's Annabeth?" He felt like he'd already asked that for the billionth time.

Sally's expression softened. "As far as I know she's alright. The firemen wanted me to have a serious word with you for doing such a dangerous thing, but they also said if you hadn't found her they probably wouldn't have either, at least not in time."

Percy stiffened. That horrible thought of losing Annabeth... He didn't want to think about that. It was horrific how some simple decision could become life-changing - what if he had decided to stay at home, what if he hadn't met her the night before at that party, what if he hadn't even gone with his family to New York in the first place, what if...? There were so many possibilities how things could have turned out. Fate was some vicious little beast. One little random trigger could end someone's life. He could go crazy by thinking about it any longer so he decided for the better and changed the topic.

"What's for dinner tonight?" Providing they let him go.

"Surprise," she smiled. Percy hoped it was something blue.

The door opened again and a man in a doctor's coat burst in. He was maybe in his thirties; blonde hair, tanned skin, and a motivated vibe making him seem like he loved his job and simultaneously wanted to go to the beach to relax in the sun and sing karaoke. All that was surrounding his appearance like some godly aura.  
As he stepped closer Percy was able to see the letters on the nameplate on his coat which, of course, didn't make any sense to him (stupid dyslexia): Dr. Ploaol.

"Good morning, Percy. I'm Dr. Apollo," he said, offering him his hand. Percy took it and before the doctor could say anything else he simply asked, "Annabeth?"

Dr. Apollo grinned. "I am not Annabeth. But I suppose that's not what you meant, is it?" He winked and Percy felt the urge to strangle him. "Thanks to your quick helping, your girlfriend is alright. Has a shock, yeah, but otherwise she's vivid like a good poem."

Percy cocked an eyebrow. "What a simile. However, she's not my girlfriend."

The doctor smirked. "Why, of course not. And your red face doesn't give away anything." He winked at Percy again but this time Percy growled.

"Well then, lets have a look at your burns." Dr. Apollo took Percy's left arm and Percy's anger faded in surprise. Burns?

His left forearm was bandaged and when Dr. Apollo removed the white cloth he winced. The skin was red and peeling off, covered in some smeary salve with a scent of peppermint.

"Looks way better than yesterday. If you put on fresh ointment every few hours your skin should be healed in some days. Now lets take off the oxygen and have a last check on your blood. I don't think you have a smoke poisoning but better safe than sorry, right?"

* * *

Percy was glad to leave the hospital a little later. His blood had turned out to be okay and, finally, Dr. Apollo told him that Annabeth was already home again.

"Do you want me to drive you to Annabeth's? I can go make some errands for tonight and pick you up later," Sally offered and Percy nodded.

After she'd dropped him off at the Chase's house he saw the destruction and began to feel nauseous.

Almost every window was broken.  
The door kicked down.  
Holes in the roof.  
The whole house wall covered in soot.

Slowly he approached the burned building.

The inside looked even worse.

Where the wallpaper had been light-green it was dark-grey, almost black, now.  
Ash littered the ground.  
Every wooden furniture was charred or completely burned to kindling.

There was no way anybody could still live in this place.

When Percy entered he could still feel the heat and some kind of flashback hit him immediately.

Blazing Flames in red and orange. Heat closing in on him. Smoke making him cough and choke. The constant fear of not finding Annabeth.

Where was she, by the way? Where was everybody?

Still shivering he stepped onto the stairs who fortunately were made out of marble and couldn't be destroyed by a simple fire. Alas, the banister was wooden or rather what was left of it.

On the first floor the destruction remained limited - applying to the furniture. He was able to knock on Annabeth's door without the sooty wood crumbling away under his knuckles.

When he didn't get an answer he just entered, finding her kneeling on the floor, staring into space. By the time she saw him she jumped up and threw her arms around his neck, burying her face in his hoodie.

Startled, he needed a second to return the hug tightly. He breathed in her scent, slowly rocking her in his arms, the butterflies in his stomach going nuts, fully aware of the fact that she hadn't let go of him yet.

He couldn't tell how long they just stood there, neither of them saying a word, merely comforting each other. Eventually she began to sniffle which very soon turned into sobbing and Percy could hardly make out the words coming out of her mouth, muffled by her face still buried on his shoulder.

"I- I'm so sorry ... wasn't ... toaster ..."

"Hold on a sec," he interrupted her. "Did you just call me a toaster?"

Looking him in the eyes she cracked a smile and that sight was worth everything he'd gone through in the last 24 hours. "No, you're my seaweed brain." He couldn't help but return the smile when noticing her use of the word 'my'. "And I'm so glad you're here."

"Me-" he cleared his throat, "me too, wisegirl."

They stared in each others eyes for a couple of moments before her face suddenly fell. Wondering what was wrong he furrowed his brows and his ADHD made him notice his surroundings for the first time since he got here.

Annabeth's room was a mess. Luckily, the fire hadn't made it to her room since it was at the other end of the house so it was only very sooty. No, what was really astonishing him was that everything was messy which was very unlike her. Books and clothes were lying around, odds and sods distributed everywhere. The only thing that was neatly at its place on her nightstand was a photo frame that used to contain a photography of Annabeth and Luke but now it had been replaced by one with a laughing Percy and a slightly annoyed but grinning Annabeth beside him. He remembered that moment. He'd said something sarcastic to some jerk walking by insulting him.

Annabeth followed his gaze. "Percy..." She inhaled deeply as if about to say something that bothered her but she got interrupted by her father entering the room. He shook Percy's hand multiple times, thanking him again and again until Percy said it was okay. Mr. Chase wasn't even listening. He told Annabeth to pack her things.

"We're staying at Stephanie's house until we find a solution for... all this," he gestured at everything but nothing in particular.

Annabeth frowned. "But she hates me!"

Percy remembered Stephanie. She was Mr. Chase's girlfriend for almost two years now.

"Of course not," Mr. Chase answered. "She actually likes you a lot."

"No, she doesn't! Every time we meet she's shooting me glares."

"That's ridiculous, Annabeth! Now pack your things."

He was about to leave when Annabeth blurted out, "Can I stay at Percy's?" Said boy opened his eyes wide in surprise. He had not expected this.

"I'm sure Percy's family wants to be on their own over Christmas. You'll stay with yours."

"But -"

"No buts, Annabeth Chase! He can come along and help you but he'll leave in the evening!" He turned to Percy. "If that's okay with you."

"Sure," Percy quickly answered. Annabeth sighed.

* * *

After Percy had called his mom he helped Annabeth pack a big duffel bag with stuff she'd need until two days after tomorrow.

About an hour later they sat in the living room of Stephanie's house in awkward silence before the adults left the house to take a walk, leaving the two of them alone.

Some Christmas music was playing in the background and it smelled like self-baked cookies.

Percy turned to Annabeth. "Is there something you wanted to tell me back at your house?"

She looked at him and he could see the storms raging behind her beautiful gray eyes. "I was so scared," she admitted. She stood up, traced the room in circles and it wasn't until Percy blocked her way that she would stop.

"It's okay. I was scared, either... Gosh, was I scared!"

She looked down. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"What for?"

Annabeth wouldn't meet his eyes. "For being such an ass." Shocked, he opened his eyes wide.

"You being an ass? When was that? Did I miss anything?"

She met his gaze. "I - why did you even go into a burning building?"

Percy was confused now. Heck, he didn't believe there would be a time when he could probably figure this girl out. "Because you were in there. Simple as that."

"But you were scared!"

"Yes. Yes, I was scared. Scared to lose you!"

They had something one would call a stare-contest, not realizing their faces getting closer and closer until one of them noticed something hanging above their heads. A mistletoe.

Not clear to say whose face was redder.

Not clear to say who continued closing in the gap between them.

Not clear to say if they'd really kissed.

For when they were still merely inches apart the door suddenly opened, causing each of them to take a huge step backwards instantly.

It was Mr. Chase who stood in the door. "Percy, your mother is here to pick you up."


	9. Merry Christmas

**HOLIDAYS! :D For the next two/three weeks I will be able to write more often so there will be more updates. (I hope!)**

**Now enjoy the longest chapter for now! :)**

* * *

Stephanie's guest room wasn't that big. It had one little wardrobe, a window facing the small garden behind the house, a simple bed in front of the window with a nightstand next to it and a bedside lamp.

The curtains were only half-closed so the moon was shining through the window on Annabeth's face. She was sitting on the bed which she refused to call hers, hugging her legs and looking out of the window.

She couldn't sleep. Every time she closed her eyes she would see the flames around her and feel the heat. Her mouth and throat would feel dry and she had to cough and choke to shake off the feeling of suffocating.

Her stomach clenched as guilt ran through her. She would understand if her dad was completely angry with her now. It was her fault that their house had burned down. She should have paid attention to the toaster. It had been such a simple thing and she hadn't been capable of doing it. And why was that? Because she'd been too busy dealing with her damn feelings for Percy!

Thinking of him only made her feel more guilty. For years she'd thought of him as a friend - her best friend, mind you - when he was in freaking love with her and she didn't notice although there were so many hints. Now it was vice-versa and she guessed that was her punishment. She deserved it, though. Maybe she even deserved that nightmare of a fire that had nearly killed her.

But Percy'd saved her. Which increased the guilt even more. There was no way she could ever thank him enough for running into the ablaze building and saving her life. She still wouldn't understand why he'd done that. He said it was because of her being in there. Because he was afraid of losing her. The thought made her stomach tingle and an emotion, besides her romantic feelings towards him, she couldn't place yet filled her heart.

He had told her he was over her. But was there a possibility of him lying? Most of the time she knew when he wasn't telling the truth. But this time she just didn't know what to make of it. In case he still liked her that way she merely had to tell him about her feelings and everything would be wonderfully okay, wasn't it? So why not just tell him? Maybe he just pretended to not have feelings for her. But she had a feeling that it wouldn't just be that easy.

How was there even that chance of him still liking her? Every time she would ask he would deny it.  
He wouldn't go out with that dumb Rachel girl, though. But maybe she just wasn't his type.  
He saved her life. But wasn't that something every best friend would do? She certainly would have. But she was in darn love with him!

They had to talk. But about what? She couldn't just go straight to him and say, 'Hi Percy, I love you but I really don't know about you. Will you please tell me? I hope you still love me', could she?

Then it hit her. Hope! She was hoping, of course! Hoping that he still had feelings for her. She had to think about the evening a few hours ago when they were standing under the mistletoe, moving closer. She'd been able to see every shade of sea-green in his eyes, to notice his chest rise and fall at the edge of her vision. He was taller than her, at least two inches.

A sudden exhaustion came over her, making her lie down and curl into fetal position. She closed her eyes and before she finally fell asleep the one thing she saw behind her eyes was no fire but his face.

* * *

An excited scream woke her the next morning.

After she identified her surroundings as the room in Stephanie's house she had to sleep in now for an yet uncertain amount of time she heard laughing coming from the living room.

The living room. Location of her and Percy's almost-kiss. Would she ever be able to forget that?

She quickly got dressed and made her way to the kitchen. There were sandwiches on the table; she took one and left for the source of the cheerful voices that just weren't fitting her gloomy mood. She hoped they would stop being so jolly, at least when she was around.

With an annoyed look on her face she entered the living room, trying not to glance over at the spot where the mistletoe was hanging. But unfortunately she had to because her father and Stephanie were standing right there with each of them holding a glass of champagne.

Are they celebrating my misery? she thought grumpily.

When the two of them saw her they had the brightest smiles on their faces she had ever seen since she'd made Percy that huge blue cake which he had kept talking about even weeks after. Ugh, seaweed brain, would you please leave my thoughts? she screamed inside of her head.

"Annabeth," her father said. "We have some very great news for you!"

That was when she realized there wasn't champagne in Stephanie's glass but water. And on both their left ring fingers were sparkling rings with little diamonds on it.

"I'm pregnant," Stephanie said.

"We're getting married," her father said.

Before they could say anything more Annabeth was gone.

* * *

The streets were almost empty - even in a mega city like NYC - except for some lonely people strolling along because they had nobody to be with right now.

"Merry Christmas," Annabeth murmured to herself as she joined them, disappearing in the constant paltriness of solitary forlornness.

Yep, she was very downcast right now. She was in love with her best friend who most likely only saw her as a friend he used to have a huge crush on. Her home was burned down and it was her fault. After four years since her mom had left her father wanted to marry someone else who wasn't part of her family and even wanted to start a new one. Christmas, which she had always seen as an opportunity to be with your family and make them happy by giving them presents because you love them, would never be the same again.

Her surroundings weren't helping at all. There were homeless men sitting around the corner, wrapped in blankets against the cold, and some business men and women wearing their dreary suits and speaking in their phones with cold and grumpy faces. A dark-haired young girl was eating some fish roll while she was talking to the air, pretending to have a conversation with a ghost. On a bench behind a big tree a girl with red hair was trying to convince another dark-haired girl to smile.

After a while Annabeth was glad to spot a familiar face within the crowd but simultaneously wanted to turn on her heels.

It was Luke. He was leaning against a street lamp, a bottle in his hand from which he took a long sip. Annabeth believed it wasn't kids glogg.

She hadn't seen him for, like, one month. Of course they had stayed in contact after she'd broken up with him but it wasn't much. At first he would call her to ask her out because he still had hope she would change her mind. After a while the calls turned into text messages that were saying he missed her, causing her a guilty conscience since she realized she hadn't even thought about him for quite a while when she received the newest message. About two months ago the texting had stopped too. One or two times per week they would pass each other in the school's hallways but would never more than nod towards each other.

Annabeth stood beside him. Neither of them said a word for at least ten minutes in which Luke took another big sips from his bottle.

Finally, he spoke but didn't look at her and neither did she. "Long time no see."

"Yeah," she answered.

"How are you?"

"What do you think since I'm here right now rather than with my - " She wanted to say family but the word kept stuck in her throat.

"Me too."

Silence.

"Do you want a sip?" Luke held the bottle in her direction and she took it. The alcohol was burning in her throat. She took another one and gave him back the bottle but he refused to take it. Instead, he grabbed a backpack stowed behind the street lamp, brought out another bottle full of that suspicious liquid and opened it.

Another silence in which they occasionally drank from their bottles. Annabeth wasn't proud of that but right now really didn't give a banana.

"Your dad on the road again?" He nodded. Hermes Castellan was a highly busy business man and thus didn't have much time for his family although she could tell he truly loved them. But Luke wasn't too convinced. "Where's your mom?" He shrugged.

Silence again.

"Merry Christmas, Annabeth," he mumbled.

"Merry Christmas, Luke," she answered.

He looked at her for the first time. "Annabeth?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you love me?"

She didn't answer but only sent him a telling look whereupon he emptied his bottle all in once and took the next one.

They stood in silence again until Annabeth took the last sip and got a full bottle from Luke without any further comment. They both knew they could get in trouble for underaged drinking, particularly in public, but as if anyone cared right now.

Annabeth already felt dazed and her head was starting to feel muzzy. When her bottle was empty she was staggering on the spot and had to lean against Luke to prevent herself from falling.

He gulped and looked her straight into the eyes.

"Annabeth?"

"Mmh?"

"May I kiss you?"

When her inebriated mind was yet about to handle what he'd just said he was already leaning in.

* * *

Percy was currently having a walk with his family. His mom and Paul had their arms hooked together and Percy's step-granny was leading the way with Percy falling behind.

He'd just had a nice Christmas morning with blue cookies and some cool presents but to top it all there was still something to do for him. Last night he had thought about it a lot and had come to one conclusion. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to go. His mom and Paul had considered letting him but Paul's mother had a different opinion. "It's Christmas," she'd said. "The boy can visit his friends tomorrow. Today, we're having a family day only."

Now as he was walking about 15 feet behind them he considered sneaking away but before he could further think about it Paul turned around to ask him, "Aren't that Luke and Annabeth over there?"

Percy followed his finger he had directed towards them and stopped in his tracks.

They were standing close to each other, almost empty bottles in their hands and looked as if about to kiss any moment. But before that could happen Annabeth leaned away, staring at her feet. Luke seemed to be disappointed and was about to say something when Annabeth turned her head and spotted Percy.

Her expression changed and her eyes widened. They stared at each other for a minute before Sally made a move to go on. "Let's go. Percy will catch up later."

Old Mrs. Blofis wanted to protest but Paul interrupted her. "Good idea. He can say hi to his friends and wish them a merry Christmas." He shoot Percy a knowing look, getting a thankful one back.

When the adults were turning around the corner Percy crossed the street and stood before Annabeth and Luke.

Luke narrowed his eyes on him and grabbed his backpack, putting his and Annabeth's bottles in it and swung it on his back.

"I see," he said, "I'll leave you guys alone then." When he left neither of them said anything.

"Merry Christmas," Percy said.

"Merry Chrismas, seaweed brain," Annabeth babbled.

"How much did you guys have?"

"Nnnothing. Absolutely nnnothing."

"I see."

Annabeth nodded, as if to prove they hadn't had any alcohol but Percy only raised his eyebrows.

"Do I have to take you home?"

Her expression turned dark. "No. I don' wanna go home. Besides, where is home? Isn't it our hearts that are - ", hiccup, "that are leading us home?"

Before she could ramble on about some philosophical home-is-where-the-heart-is he pulled her to a nearby heap of snow and threw some snow in her face. The cold made her shiver and obviously cleared her mind a bit. She looked ashamed of herself.

"What the hell did I do?"

"Drank a huge amount of booze, as it seems. And you almost kissed Luke."

"Oh, shit." She had a guilty expression on her face when she looked Percy in the eyes. He wondered why. "I'm so sorry! I didn't want to do that! I don't wanna be that close to him anymore, really! I don't love him!"

The way she emphasized that 'him' made Percy remember that there still was this mysterious guy she had a crush on. It didn't lift his spirit at all, to be honest.

"Why do you tell me that?", he asked. "You don't have to excuse to me for that."

"Sorry."

"You're doing it again."

"Sor- ugh!"

"Why did you even drink at all?"

"I... I don't know," she lied.

"Is it because of you being an arse? You said something like that yesterday."

She blushed at the memory and Percy couldn't help but find it cute. Nonetheless, he didn't understand.

"Partly it is," she admitted.

"Why is that, anyways?" he wanted to know.

She hesitated before answering, "Because I am such a horrible best friend!"

"You do know that is actually paradoxical, right? I mean, _horrible_... _best_ friend... I thought you're the wisegirl." He received a glare for that.

"Seaweed brain, I'm serious! You had these feelings for me and I was too busy dating Luke to notice and as a best friend you have to notice such things!"

"It's... it's okay. How could you have noticed, anyway? I was good at hiding it. And though you are so smart you can't know everything, you know. And you never ever were a horrible friend!"

Something wet landed on his nose. Two seconds later he felt rain drops coming down. When exactly did it stop snowing? It was like in those cliché moments in films when the girl and the boy are standing in the rain. According to that, Annabeth and he would now either fight or kiss. (He really hoped for the latter.)

As the rain got heavier they kept standing there, staring at each other.

"Why won't you just go out with Rachel?" Annabeth suddenly blurted out.

"What?"

"You heard me! She obviously likes you. You two get along very well." Is it just me, Percy thought, or is she about to cry? Must be the rain.

He sighed. "Haven't we already talked about that? She's cool and I really like her but merely as a friend!"

"And why did you kiss her, then?"

"I had already had something to drink. And I was... you know, having a hard time getting over you."

"But eventually you got over me. Why didn't you go out with her, then?"

He didn't say anything and she narrowed her eyes.

"You did get over me, didn't you?"

He ignored her question. "Rachel... She's only a friend and I don't think she could ever be more. And why are you so desperately wanting me to be with Rachel?"

"Because..."

"Because what?"

"Ugh, just because!"

"Uh-huh. Do you even have a reason? Or - " and he just couldn't stop himself from saying that, "do you want to get rid of me?"

She stared at him in shock.

"Is it that, Annabeth? Do you want me to have a girlfriend in San Francisco so that you can have your mysterious boyfriend here and don't have to feel guilty for not having feelings for me?"

She remained silent and still stared at him in shock.

They were now soaked wet from the rain and he already couldn't feel his fingertips anymore because of the chill. He began to think that this wasn't the kiss-y type of raining-cliche.

After a minute she still hadn't said anything.

"Fine, then." Percy turned around and hesitated a second before he left. At the next corner he turned his head one last time towards Annabeth. Even from the distance he could see her hands shaking; she slowly sank to the ground and began to cry. He wanted so much to go back to her and rock her in his arms until she stopped crying, just as he used to do. But his feet were taking him home instead.

* * *

Percy was sitting in the kitchen alone. He'd just had a hot bath but despite his now warm body he felt cold inside.

What let him say those things to Annabeth? What let him go away when all he wanted to do was hold her and kiss her?

He was a coward, that was he. Five minutes before, he'd wanted to confess to her that he still was in love with her, but no, he had to screw everything up.

Percy wondered if she was ever speaking to him again. If she was ever __wanting __to see him again.

His phone buzzed; he'd gotten a text message.

Hoping for it to be Annabeth he quickly opened it. It said: __Merry X-mas. Got any cool presents? Looking forward 2 c'ya again. Wanna talk a bit? Rachel.__

He sighed and pressed a button.

"Rachel? Hi. I need to talk."

* * *

**Hehe, you did not expect that, did you? ;) I guess I have to hide for your evil murderous screams right now...**

**(Laiba and Melli, did you find yourself in this chapter? :D)**

**(...review, please? :D)**


	10. Talks

**Hey, guys. Guess what? It's update time :D**

**I think this is going to be the next-to-last chapter plus an epilogue. (I already have a crazy idea for that one but I'm still not quite sure whether I should write that or better not xD)**

**Enough with my A/N.**

**Enjoy this chapter ^^**

* * *

"Rachel? Hi. I need to talk," Percy said through the phone.

"Hey, Perce. You don't sound very excited," his friend Rachel Elizabeth Dare from San Francisco answered.

"Nah, guess not..."

"Tell me what happened. And - Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Merry Christmas."

He smiled. "Merry Christmas, Rachel."

"So, what do you wanna talk about?"

"You first. You asked if I wanted to talk."

"Oh, it's nothing... I was bored and, well..."

"Rachel...!"

"Really, it's not important," she insisted. But Percy knew her well enough to know that something was bothering her. And as her friend he would try to help her.

"Yes, it is. Otherwise you wouldn't have said it."

She finally gave in and sighed. "Okay, it's my dad. He promised he would be here this year. Instead, he only sent me my present via mail and called for, like, two minutes. He got me a necklace that probably was more expensive than all his three limos together. You know, he probably thought I would forget about him being away on Christmas again."

Percy had only met her dad once. He was always busy since he was CEO of his own company, Dare Enterprises. He would make Rachel loads of expensive gifts in order to please her but obviously didn't get the message that he couldn't just buy his daughter.

"Well, he's a moron. He doesn't know what he's missing. Is your mom at home?" Mrs. Dare, being her husband's second in command, had a lot to do either but usually she was at home around Christmas, Rachel's birthday or other 'important' family days.

"She was until about one hour ago. She went to some Christmas party in Oregon, I think dad is there as well."

"And what are you doing now?"

"Putting the necklace in one of his shoes. I hope his foot will remind him that having a daughter isn't all about buying her expensive, stupid jewelry," she said grimly. "But enough from me. Where does the shoe pinch?"

Percy couldn't help grinning. "I don't have any necklaces in my shoe, Dare."

She laughed and asked, "So what's on your mind, then, Jackson?"

"Remember when I told you about Annabeth?"

"Are you serious?" He could practically feel her rolling her eyes. "You wouldn't stop talking about her. Sometimes it was really annoying."

"Oops," he said and felt heat rising to his cheeks, "sorry."

"Don't be. It's kinda sweet, though. I wish I had someone who cares about me like that."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Oh, come on! Everybody who has a functioning brain can see what she means to you. Did you guys fight or something?"

"Well, yeah... I said some pretty dumb things."

"What else is new?"

"No, I'm serious. Like, really dumb things."

"Tell me," she demanded. And he told her about the last few days, about all the times he'd been with Annabeth. Told her about the party he found her at, told her about the fire, about her unusual behavior, the almost-kiss and last but not least their fight this afternoon.

"Okay, to sum it up," she finally said after a minute of thinking, "you used to be in love with her. You moved to Frisco. You tried to get over her - and we won't talk about that awkward party at Leo's now - and told her you did but you actually didn't. You came back to New York. You met her again and apparently she's the one with the feelings now but doesn't know you still-"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on," Percy interrupted her, "what makes you think Annabeth has feelings for me?"

"Come on, you guys almost kissed!"

"So what? ... Wait..."

"Yes, banana-brain. She. Likes. You. And it's not only the thing with the mistletoe. I heard the two of you talking over the phone speaker, I heard how she talks to you, how she says your name."

"But... what about that guy she says she has a crush on now?"

"Ugh, Percy! It's you, idiot!"

"How– how do you know?"

"Because I'm a girl! Girls just know stuff like that. Ask Piper, she will tell you the same. And besides, it's logic. Consider everything I just told you and combine it with the facts you know about that guy."

"Well, he was at that party... Umm..."

"Okay, forget it. Just talk to her, like, immediately!"

"But what if it's not me? She will know I lied to her and it will be so awkward and I won't be able to talk to her again and-"

"PERCY JACKSON, YOU COWARD! You. Will. Talk. To. Her. Got it?!"

Percy inhaled deeply. "Okay. I'm no coward! I will do it."

"Sweet," Rachel said, "call me what happened, will you?"

"Sure."

"Well then... good luck!"

"Thanks. And I'm sorry your family sucks."

"It's okay. What do I have friends for?"

He smiled, said a final goodbye and hung up.

His heart was pounding as he dialed Annabeth's number. All he had to do was ask her if they could meet at the park. Everything next he'll figure out after.

_Toot._

_Toot._

_Toot._

_Toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot-toot._

...

The line was busy.

* * *

"Thalia, I'm such a dork!"

"Why?" Thalia Grace asked.

Annabeth hesitated before answering, "Can we meet somewhere, please? I don't wanna talk on the phone and I really have to get out of here, my dad and his new fiancee are getting on my nerves."

"Sure, you can come over. My mom's off to the airport, picking up my brother and dad. They're going to eat at some restaurant so it'll take them some time to come back."

"Okay," Annabeth said and was on her way to her best friend's house before her father or Stephanie could even notice.

Thalia opened the door, let Annabeth in and they sat down on the couch in the living room.

"So, first of all," Annabeth started, "why aren't you with your family? I know you're not quite good with your mom but your brother and father are coming all the way from San Francisco to see you."

When Annabeth had learned about Thalia's younger brother Jason going to Percy's new school the two boys already had become friends. Thalia was one year older than Jason (and Percy and Annabeth) and in her last year of high school. Her parents were divorced since Jason's been two years old. Their dad had moved with him to San Francisco and Thalia had to stay with her mom in New York which she absolutely wasn't happy about. Her mother and she didn't get along very well since Mrs. Grace was a drinker and Thalia never got over the loss of her brother who she was only able to see a few times a year, like on Christmas or birthdays.

Thalia sighed. "I had a fight with mom. I found some new Vodka bottles behind the fridge although she promised to quit hiding alcohol in our flat. Besides, Jason and I are going to meet up with Percy and spend time at the park or so."

With the mention of Percy Annabeth's expression changed and of course Thalia noticed.

"Okay, tell me what happened," she said and Annabeth told the other girl everything.

"I knew it!" Thalia grinned and threw her arms up, gaining a glare from her friend. "What?! You're my best friend, of course I noticed you have a crush! You wouldn't stop talking about Kelp head and when you broke up with Luke it became even worse."

Annabeth's face softened. "Whatever... I totally screwed it up. And to top it all, my dad and Stephanie are going to get married and have a child."

Thalia nodded. She knew about Annabeth's relationship with Stephanie.

Annabeth put her hands over her face. "What am I gonna do now, Thals?"

"Tell him." Annabeth looked up. "Tell him about your feelings."

Annabeth frowned. It was so easy but simultaneously so hard since she was afraid of his reaction. Would he be relieved because he still had feelings for her? Would he find it awkward because he didn't?

"Annabeth," Thalia said with a strict face, "you will call him and ask him to meet you and say it! It's not that hard!"

"Well, you haven't done it yet so you don't know how hard it is!"

The two girls had a stare-down until Annabeth gave in. Thalia's bright blue eyes always seemed as if they wanted to give her an electrical shock any second.

"Okay, I'll do it," she said, making Thalia smirk. "But not now." Thalia's face fell again.

"What, why?", she wanted to know.

"I have to prepare what I'm saying. I have to make a plan..."

"No, Annie."

"Do not call me Annie!"

"See," Thalia went on, totally ignoring Annabeth's comment, "love isn't about plans. Even I know that. In a relationship you have to be spontaneous. You cannot plan feelings and emotions, you know."

"I know that. But... All my life I was making plans and it went well like that."

"Even in your relationship with Luke?"

Annabeth blinked. Luke and she would always plan their dates, plan when they had to be where. With Percy it had never been like that. Even in the state of being just friends she never had to plan anything, actually. Sometimes Percy would just come over or vice-versa and neither of them cared if it was planned. She could always say what she wanted, she didn't have to evaluate anything.

"Somehow, to be honest... But Percy is different. Don't ask me why but we kinda have this... thing, you know?"

Thalia grinned again. "See? I told you so. Why are you still afraid? Call him!"

Annabeth smiled and hugged her. "What would I do without you?"

...

Later, when Annabeth was at Stephanie's again (still had problems calling it her home) she stared at her phone. She had to press one button. It was just that easy. She was no coward. She could do it.

But she failed.

* * *

The next six days Percy wanted to call her. He really did. But everytime his finger went down to that one little button on his phone he quit. There was this feeling in his stomach that would pull at his heart and he had to admit he was afraid. He was indeed a coward, like Rachel said.

One time when he was at the park with Thalia and Jason Thalia would shoot him a look and ask him if he had spoken with Annabeth lately, and when he said no she would look at him funny and go on talking to Jason as if nothing happened.

On December 30th Jason invited him to celebrate New Year's Eve with Thalia and him since their dad would spend the night with their mom at home to prevent her from drinking all night, and the siblings wanted to go out.

Sally and Paul already had a date and Paul's mother wanted to be with some friends – which Percy saw as some old women sitting in the living room having a tea party while chatting about the latest gossip in their house or neighborhood until midnight – and Percy hadn't had a plan at all for that night and was glad about Jason's call.

Little did he know Thalia had invited Annabeth too.

* * *

**Yup, another cliffhanger. I love them and can ****totally understand why Rick likes to tease us with them. :D But don't worry, you won't have to wait a year for an update :P**

**...**

**Please review. Let off steam. Tell me what you liked/disliked. Constructive criticism appreciated. BLUE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! :D  
**

**No, honestly. Only when you review I can improve my writing (language-wise, grammar-wise and plot-wise)!**

**See you guys next chapter :)**


	11. Special

_Update: I wrote this for April Fool's Day! It has nothing to do with the actual plot so you can skip this and chapter 12 which is merely an explanation for this one._

_If you wanna read some nonsense that makes you think, like, 'WTF is this?' you can read this but if you wanna go on with the actual plot you can, just as I said, skip to chapter 13._

* * *

**Hello, guys! :D Time for the big finale! Have fun! :P**

* * *

When Annabeth woke up the sun was shining on her face.

She sat up and looked through the window. The snow had melted a little bit and the big red crab she befriended last night was sitting near the fence as usual.

With one look on her phone she smiled. Two new texts from her boyfriend, Luke.

Last night she had called him and asked for a fresh start. Why? Because that thing between her and Percy was going nowhere. They both were not capable of having a relationship with each other while they still liked other people (and were afraid of their feelings).

Quickly, she dressed and headed to the kitchen where her dad and new stepmom were eating breakfast. She ignored their good-morning-my-precious-daughter greetings and made herself a sandwich.

About ten minutes later she jogged down the road to Luke's apartment, listening to her favorite band, One Direction. She loved their music, just as much as Justin Bieber and his. But what she found more important than their songs was their looks. They were soo cute.

By the time she arrived it was already noon. The sun made her newly brown colored hair shine like ham in a pan and the barks of the trees were communicating with it. She guessed they thought to have found a new family member.

She climbed the stairs up to Luke's apartment where he was already waiting. He was wearing a pink coat and unicorn-shaped boots and his hair was died green. Annabeth liked his new style.

Together they went outside again and walked towards Central Park. People were looking funny at them but neither of them cared.

"Holy crab," Luke suddenly burst out. He pointed in the direction of a bench with two people sitting on it but that was not the strange note about the situation. The crab from Annabeth's garden fence was talking to the pair and freaked them out as hell.

"Walter!" Annabeth yelled and gained the crab's attention. "Come here now or I'll put you back into the water, Walter!"

Walter the crab obeyed and stalked over to her side. She stroked it and with one hop jumped on its back, holding out a hand to Luke to help him up onto the man-sized creature which then started to take them on a walk through Manhattan.

* * *

Percy liked his new pet. Joseph was a big blue lobster with green stripes and longish fiery red hair behind his eyes. Last night after his failed attempt to call Annabeth Joseph had shown up at his window and looked like he was starving so Percy let him in and gave him food.

At first he wasn't sure what to feed him, though. Did lobsters eat fish? In the end he just gave him salad since he knew lobsters were served with that. Apparently, Joseph seemed to like that.

The next morning Percy took Joseph to the mall. He didn't mind the people giving them weird looks, he considered Joseph and he were friends and no matter what he stood up to his friends.

He bought a whole basket of salad and some coke for them and as soon as they were out of the store he jumped on Joseph's back and took a ride to Central Park.

But when they arrived at his usual picnic spot there was already someone there. Two people and a giant red crab, in fact.

"Annabeth," Percy said, "and Luke."

"Graaaah," Joseph said, although Percy wondered if 'graaaah' was a lobster's natural sound.

The giant crab had heard Joseph and looked alarmed. Suddenly it jumped up and came running toward them, followed by Annabeth. Luke was still sitting on the picnic blanket, holding a hot dog halfway to his mouth which stood wide open.

Percy quickly left the lobster and hid behind a tree.

"Walter, stop it!" Annabeth yelled at the crab as it attacked Joseph.

But Walter didn't listen to her. He and Joseph were having a hard fight now, clinging onto each other as they rolled down a hill and with a great splash landed in the lake. They didn't come up again so Percy left his hiding spot and stood beside Annabeth who was still gazing in shock at the water.

"I assume they won't come up," Percy said.

Annabeth turned to face him and all of a sudden hugged him tight. He hugged her back and whispered reassuring words into her ear, like 'They'll probably become fond of each other and have a family'.

Annabeth took half a step back to look him in the eyes. "Seaweed brain. Look at their names. Walter and Joseph. Do you think they can have kids?"

"Umm... no," Percy said and grinned. He couldn't stop grinning. He was still with his arms around Annabeth which was kind of a comfort since he lost Joseph.

So he did the natural: He kissed her.

And that was when a meteor showed up, shouted "Hello, everybody!", crashed into the ground and wiped all life out.

Fin.

* * *

**THE BIG FINALE. I think it's good the way it is. Don't you think?**

**Tell me what you think about it and whether I should still write an epilogue! :D**

**Love you all :***


	12. April Fool! (see Chapter 11, Special)

**April Fool, guys! :D**

**As you probably guessed, last chapter was not the finale :D**

**Since it was April Fool's Day I wanted to do something crazy and had the idea of a totally ridiculous chapter. And it was so much fun to write it and read your comments :D**

**I'm sorry for those of you who expected the epilogue here but instead got this A/N. I just wanted to clear things up. ^^**

**Don't worry, I will write the real finale within the next days and an epilogue after! **

**Until then - have you pranked people yesterday? Tell me, I'm curious! :D**

**See you guys in a few days max!**


	13. New Year's Eve

**Hey guys! I'm so sorry for not updating for so long! But I wanted this chapter - the FINAL chapter, I can't believe it's almost over with this story - to be perfect. I don't know if it is, you have to tell me.**

**But at first I want to thank every single one of you, yes even you who you are reading this right now, who read/reviewed/followed/favourited this story. Without you this story wouldn't have come so far.**

**Enough with my rambling, you have a chapter to read! :D**

* * *

__Percy inhaled deeply. He stood up before Annabeth and fell on one knee. She hadn't said a word and watched him with big eyes.__

__"Annabeth Chase," he announced while gesturing wildly, "I wanted to tell you this for a long time now. [...] You, sweetheart, are the love of my life. [...] My heart will forever be yours and my love for you reaches the infinity!"__

* * *

__A few hours earlier...__

When Percy arrived at the meeting spot it was already late, half an hour until midnight maximum.

It was sleeting and the wind was pushing him back every few steps but oddly enough the cold didn't affect him.

There were people around him but he wasn't able to recognize them for some reason, maybe because it was sleeting so hard.

When Jason and Thalia saw him they waved and greeted him with a hug each. They had sparklers in their hands but when they tried to ignite them the wind kept putting out the fire of their lighters.

Percy was so focused on the little flames that he didn't notice her at first, not until she said something.

"Hi, seaweed brain," she whisper-shouted, her voice trailing off with the wind. He turned left – and forgot how to breath.

She already used to look stunning with a bed head so that she was now comparable to an angel. Her natural blonde curls were falling onto her back at full length, which meant half the way down her back, her eyes were piercing as ever and even more so with a little eyeliner and mascara (which he'd never seen on her before and thought he never would because she actually didn't like make-up on her face). She didn't wear a coat but didn't look like she was freezing which kinda surprised him but hey, it was Annabeth, the most mysterious girl in Percy's life.

He wanted to say, 'Hi, Annabeth, I missed you, to be frank and I want to apologize for what I said to you', but all what was coming out of his mouth was "Uh, brmblbm."

To his surprise she smiled and held out her hand. He took it and they stayed like that a little longer than necessary, looking in each others eyes.

"It's okay," she said and by taking a look at her face he knew she was telling the truth. He let out a breath he didn't knew he was holding and it felt like something big has been taken off his heart.

The four of them walked down a road and Thalia was singing Christmas songs which was odd since Thalia didn't sing, at least not in public. Percy didn't even know she could.

Jason was talking to Annabeth about something and Percy listened to them but was too preoccupied with watching her to understand a word.

Unexpectetly rapid it was 11:59 PM.

They were standing on a hill, overlooking the area where people were counting down.

10\. 9. 8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. – _BOOM!_, the fireworks made.

Annabeth turned to Percy. "Happy new year," she whispered in his ear and hugged him tightly, making the butterflies in his stomach dance.

_BOOM! BOOM!_

The fireworks were still going.

Annabeth and Percy looked in each others eyes again.

"Too bad there's no mistletoe right know," Percy said silently.

Annabeth blushed and responded, "Who needs a mistletoe?" Slowly, she leaned in – and suddenly took a step back and began to dance and sing.

_Boom, boom, boom!_ That weren't fireworks.

"I'm bringing sexy back," Annabeth sang and Thalia and Jason made the "yeah" in the background before she rapped on.

"Them other boys don't know how to act," she continued and Percy was confused. What the heck was going on? Was this some kind of prank?

"I think you're special, what's behind your back?" – "Yeah!" Percy looked behind him, only to face Jason and Thalia who were now breakdancing on the ground. He frowned. He knew these lyrics... And the constant _Boom!_ of the fireworks was some kind of beat.

"So turn around and I'll pick up the slack." – "Yeah!"

That was when it hit him.

He opened his eyes, turned around in his bed and deactivated his alarm clock. He hadn't used it since what felt like forever (his mom would always wake him on school days when she had to leave for work) and had totally forgotten about the song he'd chosen for the alarm. He didn't even listen to that kind of music anymore (sort of) but this one was an oldie: Justin Timberlake's '__Sexy back'__.

So it was only a dream, he thought and sighed. It's been so perfect! Well, almost. If it had only lasted a few seconds longer...

He buried his face in his pillow and groaned. He didn't want to get up, he wanted to be in that dream again, but he'd promised his mom to help her with some things, so he yanked his blanket away and sluggishly got up and dressed. Oh mom, he thought, I have to love you very much...

* * *

Around 7 PM his mom and Paul left to go to some restaurant to have an exclusive dinner. Very soon – too soon – it was 8:30 PM which meant the old ladies were arriving one by one, each of them ruffling his hair and telling him what a big boy he has become, although they'd never seen him before. Step-granny must have showed them embarrassing pictures. That only made him want to go more eagerly.

Just when the ladies wanted him to play cards with them he quickly said he had to go earlier because everyone he wanted to meet was there already. Luckily, they believed him or rather didn't ask further so he was on his way to Thalia's forty minutes early.

At 9 PM Jason opened the door. Thalia sent him a questioning glare when he entered the living room so he explained his emergency back at his house which made her snicker.

"Don't be so rude to your grandma, Jackson," she said between chuckles.

"She's not my grandma," he answered, though he knew she sort of was, being the mother of his mother's husband and so on.

"Yes, she is," Jason insisted with a grin. "Even if she's your step-grandma."

Percy merely rolled his eyes, only to get "Now you look like Annabeth" from Thalia. She jumped at the sudden sound of the bell. "Speak of the devil," she joked and left to open the door for her friend who was, so Percy noticed, early as well.

"Dude, why you blushing?" Jason asked.

"I'm not blushing!" he shot back but felt his cheeks heat up even more.

"Yes, you are."

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

"Am n- whatever..."

Jason smirked. "C'mon, man. Everybody knows."

"Knows what?" it came from the door where Thalia was leaning against the door frame next to Annabeth who had her arms crossed. She wore gray and blue patterned leggings and a long black jumper with a spectacled owl on it. Her black boots were covered with snow and her hair was kept from falling in her face by a hair clip. She didn't wear any make-up like in Percy's dream but she had no need to whatsoever. Her stormy gray eyes were sparkling and she was, so he thought, as beautiful as a goddess or even more.

Thalia came over and hit the back of his head when she passed by. "Close your mouth and stop drooling," she demanded quietly. As if it couldn't get any worse Jason sat over next to Thalia, pretending to watch something on her phone, leaving Annabeth the only chance to sit next to Percy who awkwardly shifted on his butt.

And yes, it could get worse. "Jason," Thalia said and stood up, "come help me in the kitchen."

"What? Why?" He frowned.

"Jason!" Before her electric blue eyes could shoot lightnings at Jason he followed her into the kitchen with an apologetic look towards Percy.

For a while neither of them said anything. The silence was horribly loud and seemed to kill Percy more and more every second that passed by, and the huge and loud clock in the corner of the room made it only more maddening. After what felt like hours but were only two minutes, give or take, Percy couldn't hold it any longer.

"I'm sorry," he croaked and cleared his throat. "I'm really sorry for what I said to you. I didn't mean it."

He didn't dare looking at her, fearing the look in her eyes. More seconds went by and he counted them every single one.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Six.

Annabeth moved a hand.

Seven.

Eight.

Nine.

Ten.

Eleven.

Twelve.

Thirteen.

"Okay."

He hadn't seen that one coming. 'Okay'? What did 'okay' mean? Did she forgive him? Or had she just made clear she heard him?

Sixteen.

Seventeen.

Eighteen.

Nineteen.

Twenty.

She obviously didn't have more to say so he guessed it was his turn.

"I mean... I don't know what I was thinking. I never meant to hurt you, I –"

"I said it's okay, seaweed brain!" Oh, so she forgave him? "It was not one of your cleverest moves but I provoked you by not telling you... things. Which I have to apologize for."

Finally, he found the guts to look at her. She had bloodshot eyes and her skin was a little pale. "Apology accepted. What things are you talking about?"

She looked like she wanted to say something, but hesitated. Her eyes were stormy and he could tell she was overthinking thousands of things at a time now.

"Well, I..." she eventually said, looking him in the eyes, "I could really use a friend right now." She looked away, piercing the carpet with her gaze. She seemed insecure right now. As if she was anxious he would let her down. Come on, as if he was capable of doing that.

"I'm here," he assured her. "Doesn't matter what we said or did, I'm still and ever will be your friend. Best friend, if you're okay with that."

Her head shot up and when they locked eyes a huge smile spread on her face making him beam at her. (Why did she have to be so beautiful, chiefly when she was smiling?)

"I'm glad you're my best friend, seaweed brain."

"Pleasure, wisegirl. Tell me, what things are bothering you again?"

She opened her mouth to speak but right then Thalia popped her head in. "You two lovebirds already hooking up?"

Annabeth threw a pillow at her face. "We are not lovebirds!"

Thalia smirked. "But you're hooking up."

Another pillow hit her, this time thrown by Percy. "No, we aren't!"

Jason came in, balancing two bowls of crisps and crackers. "Sure," he said, no expression on his face. Percy made himself a mental note to put some garlic under Jason's bed later.

"Shall I give you a room?" Thalia asked and winked. Unfortunately, they ran out of pillows so all Percy and Annabeth did was glare at her. Jason snickered, sat down, grabbed a few crackers and shoved them into his mouth.

But Thalia didn't give up so soon. She sat opposite the _lovebirds_ and smirked kind of evilly. "Wanna play a game?"

Annabeth leaned forward. She was so not going to let her win this and Percy couldn't decide whether to find it cool or terrifying. He went for exciting.

"Bring it on," she said, crossing her arms over her chest. Thalia did the same.

"Let's play Truth or Dare."

Jason groaned. "Last time we played I ended up rolling in the snow with socks on." Percy raised an eyebrow. "Only socks."

Annabeth made a face and quickly set up the rule that there would be no greater loss of clothes. Define _greater loss_, Percy thought and felt his temperature rise at the imagination of where this could probably end. Ugh, brain, shut the fuck up!

"Wait," Annabeth said and held up her hands, "before this is becoming unruly, where are your parents?"

Jason shrugged. "Dad took mom on a walk or so an hour ago. Said they won't be back until 11 or something." Thalia frowned. She didn't seem to look forward to it.

"Well, yeah," she said, "I'm suggesting we're leaving before that happens." Nobody objected so she put her evil smile back on and announced, "I start!" Which, again, nobody protested against since they didn't want her to pull an extra nasty dare on them.

"Jason," she began and Percy was a little bit surprised. He'd thought she would go straight on him or Annabeth. "Truth or Dare?" she continued.

Jason narrowed his eyes. "Truth." Thalia thought for a moment.

"Who's the prettiest girl you know?" she asked and quickly added "Family doesn't count" at which Jason rolled his eyes.

"For my own sake I'll say it nonetheless – of course," he fell on his knees and pretended to worship his sister, "it's you." He sat back on the couch. "But since you said family doesn't count I have to tell you that's a lame one." He wanted to go on but Thalia interrupted him.

"Sorry, forgot to say that you have to give us the full name of the prettiest girl you know that's not a member of your family nor your girlfriend."

Jason narrowed his eyes again. "If that is so I think it's... I don't know... maybe it is..."

"Spit it out already!"

"Okay, it's Reyna. Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano." Thalia nodded. She was satisfied with that answer. Percy had a feeling she would come back to that statement sooner than Jason liked.

Now it was Jason's turn.

"Percy, truth or dare?" Percy pondered. If he chose truth, he had a feeling Jason would play along with Thalia and try to get him to reveal his feelings towards Annabeth. If he chose dare, he would most probably have to do something similar.

"I choose dare." Jason tapped his chin and Thalia wanted to whisper something in his ear but Annabeth glared at her.

"No helping! That's unfair." Thalia pouted.

Jason already had an idea and turned to Percy again. "I dare you to declare your undying love for Annabeth."

Percy went pale. Surprisingly. He'd thought he'd become as red as an overripe tomato. He stared at Jason who winked at him. Oh, that would not only be one clove of garlic under his bed tonight.

How was he supposed to do this? He couldn't just tell Annabeth he loved her in front of Thalia and Jason, although they were good friends with them. If it ever happened, it would have to be special. Not in a silly round of Truth or Dare.

Jason seemed to notice his uneasiness and bailed him out. "Do it in a way you want, it can be as romantic as in Romeo and Juliet or as ridiculous as Thalia's attempt to flirt with that guy in the sports car last summer."

"Hey!" Thalia yelled.

Percy inhaled deeply. He stood up before Annabeth and fell on one knee. She hadn't said a word and watched him with big eyes.

"Annabeth Chase," he announced while gesturing wildly, "I wanted to tell you this for a long time now." He changed his voice so that it sounded exaggerated. "You, sweetheart, are the love of my life." He began to feel sick out of all his nervousness. Heck, this wasn't even real and he inwardly freaked out already. He decided to get this over ASAP. "My heart will forever be yours and my love for you reaches the infinity!"

He sat back on his former spot and out of the corner of his eye saw Annabeth blush hard. Thalia and Jason grinned.

"Jason," Percy quickly said, "truth or dare?"

"Hey! Why me again?"

"I'm too afraid of the girls," Percy said and mockingly feigned an expression full of fear.

"Uh-huh. If that is so, I go for a dare again."

"Hmm let's see," Percy said, thinking for a moment. "I want you to spill water on your jeans – you know, where boys don't like to get hurt – and go to one of your neighbors. Tell them you were not able to hold it and now you have to use their bathroom. You will bring a piece of toilet paper as proof you really did it."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "That's so mature, seaweed brain."

Percy simply shrugged and grinned at her. "It's truth or dare and it's me, so what do you expect?"

They played on for a while (Jason brought the toilet paper and Thalia rolled on the floor laughing at the sight of his embarrassed expression) until they suddenly heard the front door open. Jason and Thalia's parents were back.

The four of them left the house promptly since they didn't want Thalia's good mood to turn into a living thunderstorm.

As soon as they were on the street Jason took a look at his watch. "It's 11:08 PM. What are we gonna do now?"

"Sneak in on a party," Thalia suggested. Annabeth frowned. She'd probably been on too many of them in the last couple of months. Thalia saw it and took her arm. "Don't worry, we'll stay away from the bad drinks."

So sneak in on a party it was.

A few streets down there was a club but there were beefy men standing in front of it.

"Bouncers," Jason said. "They won't let us in."

"Besides," Annabeth interjected, "it'll be pretty hot in there and – "

"Oh come on," Thalia whined, "we won't stay long! Please guys, let's try!"

Percy didn't know why Thalia wanted to go into a club so badly, especially since there'd be much alcohol, but maybe that was the very reason. Maybe she wanted to show that she wasn't like her mother and was able to resist alcohol. Annabeth glanced at him and probably thought the same. She sighed. "Okay, let's go. But if anyone of us even takes a look at an alcoholic drink we're leaving immediately!"

Thalia grinned happily. "You're the best," she said cheerily and walked up to the club. The bouncers eyed her and sent her warning glares but she just walked past them and vanished behind a corner. A few minutes later she came back and whispered, "There's an unlocked backdoor," and loud enough so that the doormen could hear it she said, "Let's just go to the grocery and get some crisps!"

Annabeth, Percy and Jason followed her, talking about which flavor they liked most. The men didn't even pay them attention.

Thalia was right. There was an ajar door behind the club where they sneaked in.

Stuffy air and loud music greeted Percy as soon as he was inside. Half-dressed college girls, dubious guys in leather clothes, middle-aged women – there were so many people dancing and walking around, standing at the bar, drinks in their hands, or sitting in dim corners doing things he didn't wanna see. Four teenagers in coats didn't attract any attention among these people, plus, it was NYC. You could walk down the street with your pink and green colored horse and nobody would pay you attention.

They went outside again to hide their coats behind a bush before exploring the dance floor. Multicolored flashlights to the beat, and amps were creating an atmosphere that made even Annabeth go wild.

"__World goes round, life I chose__

__What comes next I never really know__

__A million miles left to go,__

__Them guns go pow, but I'm ready for the war!__"

Very soon Percy was sweating so he pulled off his hoodie were he was wearing a simple white, tight t-shirt under it. Jason did the same and together they put the hoodies to their jackets. Percy found some sunglasses that must have been thrown away by somebody. They had one single scratch at the side but otherwise looked very good so he kept them.

When the two boys came back they searched for the girls but couldn't find them, so they decided to have something to drink. At the bar they ordered two cokes, and Percy put on his new sunglasses. Jason grinned and said something but Percy couldn't hear him over the loud music.

Just when Percy got his coke a girl sat down on a bar stool next to him and ordered some water. At first Percy didn't recognize her. She had messy curly blonde hair and was wearing a very tight top and leggins, showing her curves. It wasn't until she turned her head that he found him staring into a pair of stormy gray eyes.

Annabeth's eyebrows shot up when she saw him and he caught her checking out his upper body where his shirt was sitting tight over his muscles.

"Seaweed brain?!" she shouted over the loud noise.

Percy set up a lopsided grin. "The name is Jackson." He took of his glasses. "Percy Jackson."

Annabeth laughed and he couldn't help but admire it.

"Where's Thalia?"

"Hiding our clothes," she answered and immediately flushed. "Gods, that sounded wrong..."

Percy winked at her and instantly blushed himself. Did he really just do that?

"So," he quickly said, "you wanted to tell me something." She looked a bit puzzled.

"I did?"

"Yeah, back at Thalia's. You wanted to tell me what's bothering you."

"Oh, that. Erm, yeah. Sorry, at first I thought I wanted... Whatever, forget it. Not important." Her eyes told him that she was lying but he didn't want to push her.

"Well, I..." She shifted uncomfortably on her stool.

"Take your time," Percy said with a – which he hoped was kind – smile, "I'm here for you."

Annabeth smiled fondly at him and he felt his heartbeat speed up.

They drank their drinks in silence. Percy occasionally glanced over at her, seeing her stare into her glass, eyebrows scrunched together. He hated to see her like that, all worried about something he couldn't help her with because she didn't tell him about it.

Jason was long gone with Thalia back to the dance floor. Eventually Annabeth stood up, shouting something that sounded like, "Going to join Thalia and Jason."

Percy finished his coke and went after her. He made his way through the crowd, being jostled by people and flirted at by girls he waved off. The flashlights made it difficult to find his friends but eventually he spotted familiar blonde curls amongst a bunch of dancing people. As he got closer he saw a boy next to her with longish brown hair, a lean figure and fancy clothes. The guy moved closer at which she took a step back but he didn't seem to get the message. When he tried to grab her arm Percy's vision turned red.

He dodged a pair of wild dancing movements and was beside Annabeth in no time. Grabbing the boy's arm he yelled, "Leave her alone!"

The guy sent him a disgusted look. "Who're you to tell me what to do? Is she your girlfriend or what?"

Before Percy could shout anything back Annabeth said, "Yes, he is, so leave me alone now!"

The boy glared at him one last time before he left but Percy didn't even notice. He was still perplexed by Annabeth's answer although he knew she'd only said that to get rid of the guy.

She smiled thankfully at him but then her expression became sort of nervous. That was when he realized the song had changed to nothing else than a certain song by Jesse McCartney.

If it wasn't for his personal background of the song he would have left the dance floor. Jesse McCartney was really not his style of music. But he stayed and it wasn't until the chorus started that one of them moved. Annabeth made a move to leave but in a moment of odd confidence he pulled her in for a dance.

Maybe he would regret this later but right now it just felt right. He put his arms on her waist and after a short hesitation she wrapped her arms around his neck. In the flashlights he was hoping she didn't notice his deep blush.

For the whole song they stared in each others eyes. Percy's heart raced in his chest and the butterflies in his stomach went nuts. There was hardly any space left between them and the close proximity to her dazed him.

Too soon the song was over and a fast one took its place. Percy still felt lightheaded, and while one part of him screamed, _Do something! Kiss her!_, the other part was a coward. Sadly, the latter won. Annabeth looked bemused and Percy scratched his neck. He was about to say something, presumably something awkwardly embarrassing, when suddenly Jason appeared out of somewhere, tapping his watch.

They followed him outside where Thalia was already waiting, throwing them their clothes.

"It's fifteen minutes 'til midnight. Let's find a nice spot to overlook everything."

Fortunately, Central Park was close by so they hurried into the woods. There was a place with some benches and picnic tables where they sat down. It was on a hill, making it possible for them to have a great view.

It was maybe ten minutes left when Annabeth all of a sudden stood up and walked away down the hill. Thalia and Jason looked as bewildered as Percy felt and Thalia said to him, "Go after her."

Percy stood up too and followed her. She already was out of sight because she had disappeared into a group of trees. As he went after her he saw her climbing another hill where she stopped and just stood there, hands in the pockets of her coat.

He walked up to her. "Is everything alright?" he asked in a calm voice.

"Yeah, sure," she answered but her voice didn't sound like that.

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," she said but let out a light sob. Percy's heart ached at the sound and he pulled her in for a hug which she returned fiercely. He let her cry on his shoulder for a minute before he quietly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Everything," she mumbled against his jacket.

"Tell me."

"Dad and Stephanie are getting married and will have a child of their own. I have to live with them which extremely sucks for I could have lived with my mom if she hadn't left me behind and if I hadn't burned down our house."

Percy began to slowly rock her in his arms. "You may not like Stephanie, and I hate to tell you that, but she seems to make your dad happy. And the child will be your half-sibling, isn't that kind of exciting? I've never had any siblings, but I wish I could."

"Yeah, you're probably right..." She murmured after a minute, and sighed.

"I won't defend your mom 'cause what she did is crap. But the fire is not your fault!"

"Yes, it is! I didn't pay attention to the broken toaster. I was still hungover and stayed in the bathroom longer than necessary and that has almost been my death..."

Percy tightened the hug. He could smell her shampoo, it was a lemony scent.

"So it was the toaster's fault. Or your dad's because he didn't get rid of it. You can put it either way. You cannot tell whose or which's fault it was nor can you change what happened."

She was quiet for a moment, then she started sobbing again.

"Ssshhh," Percy made and continued rocking her in his arms. It felt good to hold her. They stayed like that for a minute and then, of course, she had to bring it up.

"Besides," she said after her sobs had died down, "I hate to not have control over my feelings. He's there and I have these strong feelings, stronger than for Luke; I want them to stop, I tell myself to look away but I can't, I just can't."

"I know what you mean," Percy quietly said, his heart feeling like a boulder.

"Percy?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something and you promise me to tell the truth?" Oh shit, he thought.

"...sure."

"Do you love me?"

_YES!_ he wanted to scream. But his mouth was dry.

She took a step back so she was able to look him in the eyes. He stared back in hers, these beautiful, stormy, endearing, gorgeous eyes.

He didn't respond and after a while she looked away.

_10! 9!_

The people were starting to count down.

_8!_

Somehow, the situation felt familiar...

_7!_

Oh, right. His dream.

_6!_

Annabeth stood there, her hands not in her pockets.

_5!_

Should he really...?

_4!_

Screw it!

_3!_

He took her hand in his.

_2!_

It was warm. It fit his. And it felt right, so totally right.

_1!_

Oh, screw everything!

_Whooooo!_ the world shouted and fireworks exploded.

Percy took her face in both hands and crashed his lips onto hers.

It felt like heaven. Their lips moved in perfect sync. Hers were warm and soft, and they tasted just like... just like Annabeth. She wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him down closer.

He swore, if this was another dream...

When they broke the kiss he leaned his forehead against hers and opened his eyes. Hers were shining as he dived into them, and her smile was stunning, and simply everything about her was beautiful.

"To answer your question: Yes," he finally said after he found the ability to speak again.

"Yes?" she asked in slight confusion.

"Yes, I love you."

The look in her eyes was worth every second he'd struggled to tell her how he felt and every time he'd felt lovesick because of her.

"I love you too," she whispered and kissed him passionately.

They stayed on their hill for a while before they walked back to Jason and Thalia, holding hands and smiling like idiots.

When their friends saw their intertwined fingers they grinned. "Happy New Year," Thalia shouted even before they arrived. There were hugs and "Happy new year"s before Annabeth looked at Percy and fondly said, "Happy new year, seaweed brain. I can't believe we forgot that."

"Happy new year, wisegirl. It's okay, we were preoccupied." And he kissed her with all his love, ignoring Thalia's _"Finally"_ somewhere next to him.

This was going to be a perfect year and the start of something amazing. That's for sure.

* * *

**Wuhuuu. The end. The end? No. Ha! I still have an epilogue to write ;)**

**In case you wanna know, the lyrics of the song they first danced to are from "How bad do you want it" by Sevyn Streeter. It's cool, go check it out! :)**

**Well then... See you guys at the epilogue!**

**PS: I still love feedback!**


	14. Epilogue

**Hey guys, I am very sorry that it took me so long to update but I had plenty to do so please don't kill me...**

**Anyways, here's the very last chapter (well, epilogue) for this story. I still wanna say a few things but I'll do it below so that you can first read this without me rambling you to death. Yeah. Banana.**

**(Many of you are writing disclaimers but since this website is called fanfiction . net and the stories on here are obviously fanfictions I guess I don't need to do that. I may be wrong but if that is so, you just have to tell me :D)**

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Annabeth's plane ride went anything but comfortable. Actually, it was the stereotypical uncomfortable flight with the sleeping man next to you who is using your shoulder as a pillow and drooling on your shirt, the creepy girl with body piercings, a murderous look and annoyingly loud music coming from her headphones but you're too afraid she might kill you if you complain. And last but not least, the kid behind you who is fidgeting around on its seat and poking its knees in the back of yours. His name was Gleeson, by the way, that she'd already found out before they had even started flying, when his mother yelled at him through the whole plane that he mustn't take somebody else's stuff. He didn't bother listening to her, though, so the yelling went on.

Annabeth was hoping her little brothers would not turn out to be like Gleeson. (Silly name, by the way, she thought.) And yes, brothers. As in two brothers, like, plural. One year ago her step-mom Stephanie gave birth to the twins Bobby and Matthew. At first Annabeth had been reluctant to live in a house with two crying babies and a woman that didn't care about her need for silent hours in which she could do her homework and work on some sketches of building designs. But as soon as she'd held one of her little half-brothers (she couldn't quite remember which one) she'd already been in love with them.

Speaking of love, her relationship with Percy was going perfectly. Cheesy, but perfect. Sure, they've had some little fights but nothing that could make an end to what they shared. For the rest of the holidays they spent all their time together. (Old Mrs. Blofis' complaints about Percy not spending enough time with his family decreased, fortunately.)

When they had to leave again Annabeth cried. No one but Percy saw it but he had to promise on the river Styx to never tell anyone, and after that he had to wipe a few tears away as well.

Throughout the next year they visited each other whenever there was the chance to. Which wasn't very often, to be honest, but trying to make the best of it they used their vacations to see each other, and on school days they worked on little jobs to save money for the ride.

Last vacation, though, they didn't see each other. Sally and Paul were having a baby on their own and Percy had to help at home so he couldn't come to visit Annabeth, and since Sally and little Tyson needed rest Annabeth's parents didn't allow her to go to San Francisco.

This left Annabeth to work harder in order to buy the first ticket to Frisco she could get for the first day of vacation. She didn't tell Percy, though. He thought she was coming in one week at the earliest.

That was why she was more nervous and excited than usual and couldn't wait until her plane arrived in San Francisco. It didn't make her seat situation any less unpleasant but she didn't care. Six months. Six months long the only interaction between her and Percy had been over Skype and the phone and she was eager to get out of this plane and run as fast as she could so she could see him again in person, hold him, kiss him, feel him, smell him, be with him.

Six hours flight to make up for six months without her boyfriend. Annabeth checked her watch every ten minutes and it seriously was a pain to know she was so close but wasn't able to do anything but sit here and wait.

As soon as the passengers were allowed to leave the plane she literally climbed over the creepy girl, ignored her threatening swears and was one of the first to get out. She quickly made it to the next bus that was about to bring her to Percy.

He lived in a small house near the cost, with a great view to the ocean from his bedroom.

__The bedroom__. Memories she would never be able to forget. There was Percy hitting her with a pillow, leading to the best pillow fight she's ever had. There were kisses and make-out sessions which after some time led to... more.

A dreaming smile spread across her face as she recalled that night. Sally and Paul were gone to see a stage play and Percy had tried to cook Spaghetti, but the water boiled over every ten seconds so Annabeth had to help him. They had an excellent dinner after that where Percy told her how much he loved her, which led to her tackling him onto the couch and giving everything back in a kiss. Well, more than one. And before they even knew what happened, they were suddenly laying on Percy's bed with only half of their clothes on.

But it wasn't rushed, not at all. Percy wouldn't do anything before Annabeth had given him any permission to and he was so sweet, so gentle, so... perfect. __Everything __had been just perfect.

Totally caught up in her memories she didn't notice Rachel before said girl nudged her in the side.

"Hello, earth to Annabeth, are you there?"

"Rachel!" Annabeth grinned. "Nice to see you." And she truly meant it. Actually, the two girls had become pretty good friends after they first met. Percy'd been all awkward and nervous and Annabeth was, too, to be honest. But the redhead had turned out to be very cool and funny and since her interest in Percy was gone and Percy and Annabeth had become a couple, Annabeth had nothing to say against her. They used to skype a lot and later became friends with Piper McLean, girlfriend of Jason.

"I guess you're not here 'cause of me, are you?" Rachel winked at Annabeth in a mocking way.

"Actually, I wanted to visit you as well. What did you think? That I'd miss the chance to see one of my best friends?" To that Rachel gave her a friendly smile and hugged her. It was a little bit difficult in that crowded bus but neither of them cared.

They talked about this and that and eventually Annabeth had to get out. "See ya tomorrow," Rachel called after her and Annabeth waved back before she turned towards the street that would lead her to the Jackson-Blofis household.

She was about to ring at the door when it suddenly opened and Sally Jackson stood in front of her, baby Tyson in her arms.

"Annabeth!" Her smile was beaming as always and she pulled her in for a light hug, with Tyson in their middle. Of course Annabeth had told Sally that she would already come today, she didn't want to be impolite in case they had important stuff going on or something.

A few moments later Paul appeared behind Sally, a surprised look on his face when he recognized Annabeth. Apparently, Sally didn't tell him.

The couple left to go to a meeting with friends and Annabeth went into the house. When she entered Percy's room he was sitting on his bed with his back to her, playing a video game on his old Gameboy.

"Knock, knock," she said and immediately he spun around, dropping the Gameboy. The smirk on his face as he saw her, his untamed jet black hair and his seagreen eyes shining brightly made her knees weak and when he said, "Annabeth," only her name, with this deep but tender voice, it was too much for her. Tears were streaming down her face and she jumped into his arms, hugging him fiercely. "I missed you, seaweed brain."

"Missed you, too, wisegirl," he mumbled, his face buried in her hair. "Now that was some surprise." She could say he was grinning like a madman and when they pulled apart for a few inches to look in each others eyes she was sure she did the same.

Slowly, they both leaned in and closed their eyes right before their lips touched. The kiss was long and full of love and was followed by another one, and then another, and another.

Soon enough they left the spot where they were standing and half an hour later there were clothes spread on the floor, a creaking noise coming from the bed, along with laughing from the pile of limbs on the bed sheets, moving in some kind of a rhythm and speeding up – until there was a loud ringing noise making them freeze in their moving.

"It's the telephone," Percy said.

"Duh. Just ignore it," Annabeth answered and kissed him. He closed his eyes and went on moving, and after about twenty seconds the ringing stopped, but then there was a loud beep.

"Percy," Sally's voice spoke on the answering machine, "we're coming home early, Miranda is sick. We'll be home in a minute." __Beep__.

Neither of them moved but they looked at each other with shocked faces. It wasn't until they heard a car holding outside the house that they suddenly jumped apart, picking up their clothes and pulling them over in record time.

"Get out of my room, quick!" Percy yelled and put on his jeans.

"Why that?" Annabeth yelled back while putting on her socks and shoes, being glad that they had no laces. "Wouldn't that be too suspicious?"

"Pretend like you're coming from the bathroom or whatever! You're the wise one here."

The sound of a key turning in a keyhole made them jump.

"Just do it!" Percy turned around, searching for his shirt.

Annabeth ran out of the room but soon figured there was not enough time to get to the bathroom so she quickly sat down on the couch, and in the last moment grabbed a magazine from the little desk next to her, opened it and pretended to read. One second later Sally came in, holding Tyson, and eyed her suspiciously.

"Since when do you read about pregnancy, Annabeth?"

It dawned on her that this was one of Sally's magazines. The page she'd opened showed a picture of a woman with both hands on her big belly.

"Oh, I-I was just being curious," Annabeth stuttered but Sally only raised an eyebrow.

"You sure there's nothing you two have to tell me?"

"Mom!" Percy was standing in the door, his shirt upside down and hair even more disheveled than usual. Annabeth wondered if she looked the same. Most probably yes.

Sally chuckled. "I'm just joking, don't worry. I know you're not that irresponsible."

She left to the kitchen and Paul appeared instead. He took one look at them but his expression stayed the same as he said, "Percy, you forgot to put your shirt back on right." Then, he followed Sally, humming The Bloodhound Gang's '_Foxtrot___ Uniform Charlie Kilo__'.

Percy's and Annabeth's faces were bright red as they glanced at each other.

"Do you think he knows?" Percy whispered.

"Embarrassingly, yes, it seems so," Annabeth answered, realized she was still holding the magazine, and quickly tossed it back onto the desk.

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Ten years later, she was reading pregnancy magazines herself. She had them hidden under her mattress since she just found out two days ago and hadn't told Percy yet.

To be honest, she was afraid he'd be upset about it. Maybe he'd already changed his mind and didn't want a child anymore. It's been over a year since they've talked about it last, after all.

This made her extremely nervous whilst standing in the kitchen in front of the cooker, trying to make the best blue pancakes her husband for three years has ever had.

She was talking to herself loudly, trying to decide how she was going to tell him. She wanted to do it today. Okay, maybe this week. Or next.

"No, Annabeth! You will tell him today! As soon as he's finished eating," she said to herself.

"Tell me what?"

She winced at his sudden appearance and almost dropped the plate with the pancakes.

"Oh hey, seaweed brain! How was your job interview?"

"Great, I guess," he said but narrowed his eyes at her. "Tell me what?"

Annabeth took in a deep breath. "Do you remember us talking about this and that and then coming to the topic of having kids?"

"Well, of course." His wrinkled his forehead. "Don't you wanna have kids anymore?"

"Yes, I mean no, of course I still wanna have kids! It's just..."

"It's just what?"

"I... When do you wanna?"

"Annabeth, I don't care when, it just has to be with you. What is bothering you?"

There was silence for a minute in which Annabeth was debating with herself about whether to tell him the truth or ramble about something until they changed the topic. But knowing Percy, he would not stop asking her until she told him.

"Percy, I – no, __we __are, well, we're..." She knew it would be difficult but in her head it still was a lot easier.

"We're what?"

"Having a baby."

For a second he didn't react. But it seemed to be years to her until his eyes finally grew big and his jaw fell.

"Oh gods, really?" He grinned and Annabeth couldn't help but grin back.

"Yes."

"No kidding?"

"Seaweed brain, why should I be kidding about this?"

He answered by spinning her around and kissing her after he'd let her down again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he put his around her waist, holding her close.

No matter what happened, he could never stop loving her. The pancakes were long forgotten, all what mattered was them, and their little child that he already loved with his whole heart.

"I love you," Annabeth whispered.

"I love you too."

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**Wow, cheesy, I know. But I had to do it like this, I'm a Percabeth fangirl after all :D**

**So... There are some things left to say.**

**1\. Did anyone get the joke with the song? Y'know, Foxtrott Uniform Charlie Kilo? :D If not, just look up the lyrics. :P ;)**

**2\. I wanna thank everybody who read, reviewed and/or favourited this story. It means a lot to me. Thanks**

**3\. I'm sorry if I mixed up British English and American English, I'm no native speaker after all so I hope you won't kill me for that.**  
**Anyways, you can always tell me if I made mistakes, I appreciate that a lot! It helps me improve my English.**

**4\. This isn't the last story I've written, of course. I'm already writing an OS about Percabeth and planning to do something about Hiccstrid, maybe (HTTYD ). There are also some fanfictions I wrote in German (my native language) and maybe I will translate some of them but I don't know when, yet. I guess I'll start as soon as I have summer break.**

**I hope I didn't forget anything... If so, I'll tell you.**

**Keep being amazing, guys! (Or should I say amaZHANG? Ha ha ha. Do you see what I did there? To be FRANK, I think I'm funny. Not. Definitely not.)**

**Bye, see you soon!**


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